Reverse outline. We should all do this for every story. It's a good exercise and will expose a lot of issues that you didn't even know were there. It's kind of like shining a blacklight in a kitchen. ;)
No surprise regarding Author's Equity. Amazon tried a similar approach toward screenplay submissions and received so much unfiltered junk they eventually shut the entire program down.
Your advice about going back and sprinkling in body gestures was exactly what was missing from my novel. I get so caught up in the dialog and the plot that I forget to add in the necessary "fluff". I do have a question, though: My WIP is going through it's first professional editing phase...yet, I just don't see it being a mainstream sell. I love the story and I have been working on it for many years. When do we call it quits and can we really put something to bed? I have other novels being written; however, they just don't hold the same place in my heart. What would you do?
Question: Hi Alyssa, I was wondering if comps were vital to the viability of a manuscript submission? Is it necessary to compare your novel to other work? What if your story is unique and can't be compared exactly to any one book previously written? Will this affect publishers decisions on whether to accept your sumbimission or reject it?
Thanks Alyssa Matesic for answering my question. I have another question for you for the next week can you have lets say two pov for a novel my book is written in third person limited but then I had a few chapters written in third person omniscient pov. Can I use both povs or do I've to use one or the other?
Hi Alyssa, do you have any advice or recommendations for us Children’s picture book author/illustrators who want to seek out traditional publishing companies? Thank you
I slowly ease into consciousness, and I have a sticky warm sensation on my forehead, blood, my blood. I'm used to the feeling but something else is more in need of my attention. My wrists are bound above my head, and I am hanging tied five feet above the earth. My head is begging to explode as it throbs but that's not the worst of my injuries. My thigh is burning then suddenly it feels like ice, pressure like stone is being dropped, no slammed upon me. I ease my head down to look and a knife is driven in inches deep or so it feels. I look around taking note of everything in the room. There is a door fourteen feet above me with no apparent way to get in except by climbing the rope. I've escaped harder places than this and killed people for less than kidnapping. Thanks to my father who raised me to be a lethal weapon. That is the beginning of my novel any thoughts?
Question: regarding the reference to a “comp title”…can you please define what a “comp” is as used in your video? I’ve just begun writing my first novel and so I’m now in the process of also trying to learn definitions of publishing terminology that I’m encountering. Some of the terms are self-evident, others…not so much. So, thanks for any clarification that you can provide regarding “comp.” PS: also…a 5-year deadline was mentioned…what’s that about?
I wondered this. Not written a book before either. I believe it means competitor books. Ones that are in a similar genre and style to your own. I have none of these with my book, so should be OK with that fact.
It means comparison. When you have finished your book and are trying to find an agent, you will need to write a query letter to potential agents. As part of this you are supposed to include a couple of 'comps'-basically books that are similar, eg my books is for fans of found family with the same witty humour as Scott Lynch's the lies of Locke Lamora. The 5 years- agents prefer you to compare your book to something released in the last 5 years. It makes it easier for them to pitch if they can compare your book to something that has sold well recently. But like Alyssa said in the video, you can use some comps that have been released more than 5 years ago.
@@Undomesticatedequine Thanks very much for your reply and for the information that you provided! That clears things up and now I have a good understanding of that particular industry reference! Again, many thanks!
@@Undomesticatedequine Thanks very much for your reply and for the information that you provided! That clears things up and now I have a good understanding of that particular industry reference! Again, many thanks!
Hi there, I’ve got a question. Is it common for editors to request that you change part of your manuscript? Specifically talking about the flow of the story or even removing scenes.
Yeah! I've got an older comp that's a perfect match for one of my books, and it would be a good comp for my current project. However, like I said, it's an older comp (think early 80s), even though it was well known and got good reviews back then. GRRRRRRR!
@@t0dd000I agree. Isn’t that a good chunk of the point of having an agent? That they bring the insight to the market that I, the author don’t have the time for because I’m writing and researching for my book? Especially as a historical fiction author. You’re telling me that I have to 1. Research for my book (which requires intensive reading already) 2. Write my book. 3. Have a full time day job. 4. Attend to family. 5. Try to maintain other hobbies. 6. Maintain a social life. Etc, and now you want me to tack on reading dozens of contemporary books in my genre that I truly don’t care about just to find some suitable comps because…? The agent is too lazy to read the sample pages and blurb? It’s absolutely asinine.
@@Josh-et4ki Agents act as a filter and handler for the publishing industry. They manage the process. Very much like a real estate agent. They make the prices go smoothly, remove a lot of emotion from the process, and resolve issues. You'd think they would also have a deep well of literary knowledge, but it seems like they do not. Otherwise, I can't fathom why the recent comps thing. Maybe someone here in the chat has some insight into that.
@VeraBrightfeather "Modernity" is a fiction. The stories are not monumentally different. You can take any modern book on the best seller list and comp it to books from the 80s.
For the writer with the pacing that is too fast, they are probably not providing the reader with adequate “reaction”’scenes, where the characters and the reader can take a breath and process what has just happened before the next action scene.
Authors Equity is only talking to agented authors, yet they won't be giving out advances, which are usually a key part of the author-agent relationship. It seems to me like this would only open doors for established authors whose agents are willing to cash in on royalties only. Just my two cents!
Yeah. I'm also curious how this will work. It might lead to a retainer system for agents. Maybe it will make agents less transactional. I dunno. But, it does make publishing more sustainable assuming the publisher is incentivized to do the work. They are not making much of an investment except in time and energy, and so it makes it easier for them to abandon an author. We'll see.
Then what is the point when it comes to Author’s Equity if they are only working with agents? I just don’t see the difference right now between this company and other publishing companies at this point
Read Alyssa's article and watch her video on this. But ... - no advances - much higher percentage of royalties go to the author (and paid monthly) - small designated teams work on all aspects of a book instead of passing it around department to department - will leverage loads of freelancers I like what I'm hearing about this.
@@t0dd000 Yes but only for authors who already have an agent. We should also take into question how long that author will have to wait in order to see their royalties roll in. Another question: Will they still be a traditional publishing company or will they be a hybrid publishing company where the author would have to pay some money for their services? So many questions still…
@@t0dd000 None of that is beneficial for debuts or mid-list authors, who sell a limited number of copies and rely on that 20-40K advance. The fact that they don't pay an advance, means they have no skin in the game and don't need to market or invest in the work.
@@dominiquegibson1198 From what I understand, you don't pay. They pay. As for agentless … why in the world would they go agentless. Then they would have to be a publishing company and also, in effect, an agency.
@@jpch8814 Then why would any publishing house hand those authors $20k if they think they can't make it back? I think what they are trying to do is make a more sustainable and honest model that also pays the author more. Now, I'm curious at the incentive as well, though, they do have to spend money in editing and art and such, so, they do have an outlay. But. We'll see.
Hi Alyssa :). Having just finished my first draft (105k words), and i am going to take a break while two of my friends read through it for some feedback. Do you have a roadmap on what i should do now? And would you recommend paying for services such as criques, manuscript assment or beta readers?
Reverse outline. We should all do this for every story. It's a good exercise and will expose a lot of issues that you didn't even know were there. It's kind of like shining a blacklight in a kitchen. ;)
No surprise regarding Author's Equity. Amazon tried a similar approach toward screenplay submissions and received so much unfiltered junk they eventually shut the entire program down.
I am getting sunshine and warmth, Alyssa, but I miss the cold!! 😭😭 I'm already waiting for winter again (us writers are weird people).
Your advice about going back and sprinkling in body gestures was exactly what was missing from my novel. I get so caught up in the dialog and the plot that I forget to add in the necessary "fluff". I do have a question, though: My WIP is going through it's first professional editing phase...yet, I just don't see it being a mainstream sell. I love the story and I have been working on it for many years. When do we call it quits and can we really put something to bed? I have other novels being written; however, they just don't hold the same place in my heart. What would you do?
Question: Hi Alyssa, I was wondering if comps were vital to the viability of a manuscript submission? Is it necessary to compare your novel to other work? What if your story is unique and can't be compared exactly to any one book previously written? Will this affect publishers decisions on whether to accept your sumbimission or reject it?
I'm a newbie, but much of the advice I've seen says that comps are indeed required.
Thanks Alyssa Matesic for answering my question. I have another question for you for the next week can you have lets say two pov for a novel my book is written in third person limited but then I had a few chapters written in third person omniscient pov. Can I use both povs or do I've to use one or the other?
Hi Alyssa, do you have any advice or recommendations for us Children’s picture book author/illustrators who want to seek out traditional publishing companies? Thank you
I slowly ease into consciousness, and I have a sticky warm sensation on my forehead, blood, my blood. I'm used to the feeling but something else is more in need of my attention. My wrists are bound above my head, and I am hanging tied five feet above the earth. My head is begging to explode as it throbs but that's not the worst of my injuries. My thigh is burning then suddenly it feels like ice, pressure like stone is being dropped, no slammed upon me. I ease my head down to look and a knife is driven in inches deep or so it feels. I look around taking note of everything in the room. There is a door fourteen feet above me with no apparent way to get in except by climbing the rope. I've escaped harder places than this and killed people for less than kidnapping. Thanks to my father who raised me to be a lethal weapon.
That is the beginning of my novel any thoughts?
Question: regarding the reference to a “comp title”…can you please define what a “comp” is as used in your video?
I’ve just begun writing my first novel and so I’m now in the process of also trying to learn definitions of publishing terminology that I’m encountering. Some of the terms are self-evident, others…not so much. So, thanks for any clarification that you can provide regarding “comp.”
PS: also…a 5-year deadline was mentioned…what’s that about?
I wondered this. Not written a book before either. I believe it means competitor books. Ones that are in a similar genre and style to your own. I have none of these with my book, so should be OK with that fact.
It means comparison. When you have finished your book and are trying to find an agent, you will need to write a query letter to potential agents. As part of this you are supposed to include a couple of 'comps'-basically books that are similar, eg my books is for fans of found family with the same witty humour as Scott Lynch's the lies of Locke Lamora.
The 5 years- agents prefer you to compare your book to something released in the last 5 years. It makes it easier for them to pitch if they can compare your book to something that has sold well recently. But like Alyssa said in the video, you can use some comps that have been released more than 5 years ago.
@@Undomesticatedequine Thanks very much for your reply and for the information that you provided! That clears things up and now I have a good understanding of that particular industry reference! Again, many thanks!
@@Undomesticatedequine Thanks very much for your reply and for the information that you provided! That clears things up and now I have a good understanding of that particular industry reference! Again, many thanks!
Hi there, I’ve got a question. Is it common for editors to request that you change part of your manuscript? Specifically talking about the flow of the story or even removing scenes.
Sounds like "Authors Equity" is a misnomer. Unlike Actors Equity, this agency is only equitable to Authors with agents.
They hate older comps, it's annoying.
Comps are comps. The endless focus on recent comps is ridiculous. I think it is because so many agents simply are not well read? Not sure.
Yeah!
I've got an older comp that's a perfect match for one of my books, and it would be a good comp for my current project.
However, like I said, it's an older comp (think early 80s), even though it was well known and got good reviews back then.
GRRRRRRR!
@@t0dd000I agree. Isn’t that a good chunk of the point of having an agent? That they bring the insight to the market that I, the author don’t have the time for because I’m writing and researching for my book?
Especially as a historical fiction author. You’re telling me that I have to 1. Research for my book (which requires intensive reading already) 2. Write my book. 3. Have a full time day job. 4. Attend to family. 5. Try to maintain other hobbies. 6. Maintain a social life. Etc, and now you want me to tack on reading dozens of contemporary books in my genre that I truly don’t care about just to find some suitable comps because…? The agent is too lazy to read the sample pages and blurb? It’s absolutely asinine.
@@Josh-et4ki Agents act as a filter and handler for the publishing industry. They manage the process. Very much like a real estate agent. They make the prices go smoothly, remove a lot of emotion from the process, and resolve issues. You'd think they would also have a deep well of literary knowledge, but it seems like they do not. Otherwise, I can't fathom why the recent comps thing. Maybe someone here in the chat has some insight into that.
@VeraBrightfeather "Modernity" is a fiction. The stories are not monumentally different. You can take any modern book on the best seller list and comp it to books from the 80s.
What if i have a comp title thats in a diffrent language than english.
For the writer with the pacing that is too fast, they are probably not providing the reader with adequate “reaction”’scenes, where the characters and the reader can take a breath and process what has just happened before the next action scene.
Authors Equity is only talking to agented authors, yet they won't be giving out advances, which are usually a key part of the author-agent relationship. It seems to me like this would only open doors for established authors whose agents are willing to cash in on royalties only. Just my two cents!
Yeah. I'm also curious how this will work. It might lead to a retainer system for agents. Maybe it will make agents less transactional. I dunno. But, it does make publishing more sustainable assuming the publisher is incentivized to do the work. They are not making much of an investment except in time and energy, and so it makes it easier for them to abandon an author. We'll see.
Then what is the point when it comes to Author’s Equity if they are only working with agents? I just don’t see the difference right now between this company and other publishing companies at this point
Read Alyssa's article and watch her video on this. But ...
- no advances
- much higher percentage of royalties go to the author (and paid monthly)
- small designated teams work on all aspects of a book instead of passing it around department to department
- will leverage loads of freelancers
I like what I'm hearing about this.
@@t0dd000 Yes but only for authors who already have an agent. We should also take into question how long that author will have to wait in order to see their royalties roll in.
Another question: Will they still be a traditional publishing company or will they be a hybrid publishing company where the author would have to pay some money for their services?
So many questions still…
@@t0dd000 None of that is beneficial for debuts or mid-list authors, who sell a limited number of copies and rely on that 20-40K advance. The fact that they don't pay an advance, means they have no skin in the game and don't need to market or invest in the work.
@@dominiquegibson1198 From what I understand, you don't pay. They pay. As for agentless … why in the world would they go agentless. Then they would have to be a publishing company and also, in effect, an agency.
@@jpch8814 Then why would any publishing house hand those authors $20k if they think they can't make it back? I think what they are trying to do is make a more sustainable and honest model that also pays the author more. Now, I'm curious at the incentive as well, though, they do have to spend money in editing and art and such, so, they do have an outlay. But. We'll see.
❤❤❤❤❤
Hi Alyssa :).
Having just finished my first draft (105k words), and i am going to take a break while two of my friends read through it for some feedback. Do you have a roadmap on what i should do now? And would you recommend paying for services such as criques, manuscript assment or beta readers?