How do you make your work more commercial--and why is commercial the trend right now? Join agent Alyssa Jennette (Stonesong Literary) as we talk about: 1) Why is commercial trending right now? 2) What can ALL genres (including literary) do to appeal to readers in this moment? 3) Why you should focus revision efforts on stakes, character, payoff and…

Is there a formula for success? What do you do when "A new twist on something familiar" starts to feel overly simplistic? Enter editor Ivan Taurisano, editor at Abrams, who works from the opposite direction of most editors: he can think of a concept that's marketable, then put together the team to make it happen. We discuss: ***Collaborating with L…

In this 1-hour session, you will learn the essential steps to position yourself and your book as valuable investments to agents, editors, bookstores, and beyond. (Want more? Join our workshop October 22-24, How To Be Your Own Best Marketer: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/be-your-own-best-marketer | $39 early bird, $49 regular, $0 members). W…

We love Bonnie Jo Pierson. Not only is she a Manuscript Academy alum and a published author, she’s a member of a 20-person writing group—and an expert on knowing what feedback to take, what to ignore, and how to tell the difference. After 17 years of writing, her novel is ready—and we talk about keeping work fresh, learning and growing as a person,…

Promoting your book isn’t about making noise—it’s about making a difference for readers who need your story.In this Manuscript Academy episode, we’re happy to join nonfiction book coach and marketer Allison Lane to:– Break down exactly how to shift your mindset from fear to confidence and why it’s so important for your career:– Self-Doubt and Fear …

Today is a special live recording of the Manuscript Academy podcast! In front of Manuscript Academy members, Jessica and Julie are joined by faculty member and Macmillan editor Christina Lopez in another installment of our Mystery Agent/Editor segment. Listen in as Christina critiques writer Karissa Riffel’s YA horror query and first page, and answ…

Have you ever been tempted to say "My book is for everyone"? We get it! It sounds like the perfect way to convince an agent your book is a slam dunk bestseller--right? Wrong. Realistically, no book is for everyone--and this is a great thing. We're happy to join Emma Peters, editor at W.W. Norton, to discuss: *Why you need to define your audience--a…

We are so excited to welcome math teacher Ben Orlin to the podcast!Ben Orlin is a math teacher who can't draw. His book Math with Bad Drawings (2018) has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, and has since been followed by Change is the Only Constant (2019), Math Games with Bad Drawings (2022), and most recently, Math for English Majors (Sept 20…

We are so happy to welcome Nour Sallam, agent at P.S. Literary, to the podcast! We discuss: *How agents should advocate for clients from signing to offers to contracts to publication and beyond *Why messy characters and their interiority are often the one thing missing from your work *Why we should experience empathy for your villain*Opportunities …

We are so pleased to welcome agent Erica Bauman from Aevitas Creative Management to the podcast!We discuss: *How to make your work more atmospheric*Where to place emphasis when writing between genres *Balancing keeping the reader in their heads vs. their senses *When the genre of our world gets closer to dystopia, how does the dystopian genre chang…

Debut author Kristy Jackson joins Julie and Jessica to talk about her new middle grade book, MORTIFIED, now out in bookstores everywhere! From embarrassing middle school moments to querying hiccups, Kristy talks about her 20+ year-long writing journey, how she found the right agent for her, and how perseverance made all the different to achieving h…

In the first installment of the Manuscript Academy Book Club, we have Liv Constantine, the pen name for internationally bestselling sister duo Lynne and Valerie Constantine! Joined by Jessica, Julie, and the Manuscript Academy community, Valerie and Lynne answer your questions about how to collaborate and edit as a team, how to get the best results…

You’ve heard of the all-important voice—but how do you make it more vivid, both on the page—and in your life? Enter Jessica Doyle-Mekkes, an author, voice coach, and eloquent speaker on how your voice in your life and your voice on the page are linked, vitally important—and within your control to improve. Listen along for what helps your voice come…

We are thrilled to introduce our very own Julie Kingsley's debut novel! It's called The Space Between You and Me and came out this week!"That summer, I finally grew into myself. The problem? I grew too fast. And fruit that grows too fast often bursts in the sunshine."With her agent Lane Heymont (Tobias Literary Agency), we discuss: *What happens if…

Content Warning: This podcast discusses suicide, grief, and loss. Pam O'Hara's beautiful writing captivated our expert audience during a recent Manuscript Academy panel, so much so that it was picked for our 2024 MSWL Agent Choice Awards. Pam joins Jessica and Julie to speak about her stunning memoir about love, loss, and losing a loved one by suic…

Watch the free video version, slides and all (and get a coupon for our workshop!) at https://manuscriptacademy.com/emmyJoin our Three-Day Keep An Agent Reading Workshop, May 28-30, here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/keep-an-agent-reading-workshopTIMESTAMPS: Essential Elements of a Query Letter (00:03:07) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon covers th…

We are honored that author Elizabeth (Liz) Holden, author of the forthcoming YA novel Mighty Millie Novak, allowed us to go through her work as a teaching tool for you--what each element accomplishes, WHY it works, and how you can do the same in your own query and first page.If you'd like to follow along visually, head to our YouTube Channel, https…

View our in-depth video of what Liz did right in her query letter and first page here: https://www.youtube.com/@manuscriptacademyMeet Elizabeth Holden, Physics professor, travel entrepreneur, and author of Mighty Millie Novak, a YA novel coming out from Flux Publishing in August. https://www.elizabeth-holden.com/Liz is also the travel coordinator f…

Please note: This episode contains mentions of alcoholism, recovery, and sobriety. We are so happy to welcome author Jessica Guerrieri and agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary) to the podcast. They're a great example of what to look for in an author-agent relationship--they're creative, collaborative, supportive, and successful (Jessica's debut…

We are so grateful to Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Associates, who has offered to teach a free workshop for you all about the elements of querying—interest, emphasis, tension—that keep a busy agent reading in 2024. Get your free ticket (or replay ticket!) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/emmyThe event is Tuesday, May 7, 8:30…

We are thrilled to introduce Ali McLafferty, author, teacher, and most recent winner of the as-yet-untitled (Manuscript) Academy Awards. Ali was nominated by agent Melissa Edwards (Stonesong Literary) for this gorgeous fantasy novel that brings up a lot of issues in our world as well. We discuss how she polished her query, how many drafts she did o…

We love this creativity-packed episode with Melissa Vogan (née Melissa Warten), former editor at Macmillan, current editor at Epic For Kids. We discuss: *“Just enough” art notes - and how they’re useful for every genre *How you can guide the focus of your reader through sensory language *How to get to the heart of your story *How to disagree with a…

You may remember Julia Alexandra from our episode in the fall when we went over three query versions with her (good, better, best): Well, she now has an agent! Ellen Goff (HG Literary) joins us with Julia to discuss balancing plot, character, and world--if your fantasy novel will hold up without your fantasy elements, which we're now calling "The G…

If you've ever had trouble with point of view in your work, wait until you hear the advanced logistical world author Nia Davenport had to navigate for her new novel, Out of Body, which she pitches as Freaky Friday meets Get Out. Not only does she have best friends, crushes, confused parents, and a villain on the loose--but she weaves it all into a …

Tennessee, 1960. One extraordinary team of women--and the first all-Black women’s track team--found glory at the Olympic games in Rome. Here in America, their success was "an impossible dream come true."Now, author Aime Alley Card tells us her personal connection to the team, how she did her astonishing amount of research, and how she found agent L…

Join our interactive Says/Does Activity + view transcript here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/sara-schonfeldWe discuss editing with love and patience, acquiring in the age of book bans (let's just say Florida doesn't get to choose what the rest of the country reads), how to make your book feel "fresh"--and why so many editors ask fo…

Sometimes publishing your novel takes an unexpected route. In today's episode, Jessica and Julie speak with author JB Harris to discuss how she pivoted when agents told her the manuscript she'd been working on for 11 years would be hard to break out during COVID. We cover querying, finding the right small traditional publisher, and how to market yo…

We’ve never seen a romantic comedy like this one! Happily Never After breaks ALL* the rom com rules, while still maintaining tension, interest, narrative arcs, and everything you need in a satisfying read. Learn the rules our favorite way—by watching Lynn breaks them, succeed, and tell you how she did it. Whatever your genre, a romantic element add…

We are thrilled to welcome Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Associates, to talk with us about the red and green flags when querying agents--how you can show (mostly) green flags, recognize agent red flags, and give yourself the best odds of a positive, productive working relationship. Learn more about Emmy and book a consultation h…

Even our podcast editor describes author Karen Outen as "a breath of fresh air." After twenty years of work, her book, Dixon Descending, features two brothers with a seemingly impossible goal: To be the first Black American men to summit Everest. We discuss how Karen learned to write realistic dialogue that jumps off the page, her publishing journe…

CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of abortion, grooming, assault.Annie Cardi's new book, Red, is a very modern take on The Scarlet Letter. Today, Annie joins Jessica and Julie to discuss the importance of tough topics in YA novels, how to create "quiet" books that pack a punch, and writing advice for new authors. Transcript here: https://manuscriptacademy.…

A smart, poignant novel perfect for fans of Lessons in Chemistry“An incredible STEMinist read.”—The Honey PopTranscript, timestamps and video clips here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-sara-readJoin Julie and Jessica as they talk to the fabulous Sara Read, the author of the recent book Principles of (E)motion. Trust us when we say it'll make…

Join our workshop here! https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/three-day-submission-strategy-workshopAre you a writer thinking about querying? Or have you already queried, and you're worried that a rejection you received means you should pivot, edit for months, or--worst of all--give up? This is for you. Listen in on how we'll interpret rejections, …

We're thrilled to welcome Abrams editor Erica Finkel to the podcast to discuss editorial board meetings, the top reasons writers get rejected--and how "fit" means far more than you'd think. Book a meeting with Erica here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/erica-finkelErica Finkel (she/her) is an Executive Editor for Amulet Books and Abr…

We are thrilled to welcome you to the replay of our SEVENTH (woo hoo!) Annual Holiday Party. In this event, writers nominated writers for feedback from our agent panel. Each agent chose a nominator-nominee pair to come up, read their work, and receive support and feedback in front of our audience.Our agents are: Kaitlyn Sanchez, Bradford LiteraryLi…

We can’t wait—what an exciting month!December 5, 8:30pm ET: Our You Belong Here class with Nancy Tandon and Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo: https://manuscriptacademy.com/you-belong-hereDecember 6, 1pm ET: For Members, we have our Mystery Agent consultation with Jenissa Graham. Apply to be on the next one here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/mystery-agentDec…

Query writing is a craft in and of itself and so often, even the experts disagree on the best approach (hint: that just means there are number of ways to write an amazing query!). Today we're joined by the very talented, multi-hyphenate writer, coach, and former copy editor, reader, bookseller, and more, Jonathan Baker, who answers your rapid-fire …

This pep talk was inspired by that extremely uncomfortable phenomenon of going home for the holidays, only to be grilled by your relatives. It was made with the generous contributions of writers just like you. We hope this will give you some cheer when your family asks, "Soooo--are you still writing?" "Are you a New York Times bestseller yet?" "How…

In October, we wrapped up the month with a deliciously spooky Halloween #MSWL panel. Join us for a live panel recording with agents T.S Ferguson, Kelly Van Sant, Jenissa Graham, and Claire Harris as they take us through their creepy wishlists and fun bookish activities.But even if you’re writing serious nonfiction, or in a completely other genre, t…

Join us December 5 for Nancy’s class, You Belong Here (meant to alleviate the “walking with your cafeteria tray toward the popular kids’ table” feeling of pitching agents): https://manuscriptacademy.com/you-belong-hereAfter an exceptionally rocky entry to publishing—including a *five year* delay—Nancy Tandon is a well-regarded Middle Grade writer w…

We are so happy to welcome Monica Rodriguez, agent at Context Literary, to the podcast!Not only is Monica Jessica’s Agency colleague in charge of Brand Management (and helping writers promote their work), she’s also an agent with expertise in branding, marketing, and helping creatives refine their ideas. Plus, she’s an agented writer on submission,…

Starting today (we promise you're not too late!), join us for a Three-Day Workshop: Unputdownable: Write A Book Agents Can't Stop Thinking About. It's three classes, daily forums, a thriving workshop community, live Q&A and a first pages feedback panel. This workshop includes: *Class: Banner Days - have the reader looking forward and backward, imag…

Join us in a lively conversation with debut author M Hendrix, whose book The Chaperone came out this year with Sourcebooks! From finding an agent and pitching your book during the pandemic, finding hope in dystopian novels, and making YA fun for teens to read, we cover this and more!M Hendrix (she/her) is the author of The Chaperone, published by S…

Check out a criminally underrated movie and one of our oldest classics on this episode of Script v Manuscript when we compare Beowulf with it's best movie adaptation: The 13th Warrior aka "Eaters of the Dead."

We are thrilled to welcome Sierra Godfrey, author of The Second Chance Hotel and A Very Typical Family, to the Member Lounge. Sierra, along with Mike Chen, built the first ManuscriptWishList.com, and her work as an author is charming, funny, romantic—and set on the gorgeous fictional Greek island of Asteri. There, her main character accidentally ma…

We are so happy to welcome Dani Segelbaum, Vice President, Literary Agent, and Subsidiary Rights Director at Carol Mann Agency.We discuss how the best nonfiction is an experience, how it relates to platform and the real world, how sub rights tie in—and why it’s so much easier to get Anti-AI clauses in contracts for books abroad. Dani Segelbaum join…

Join us for a deep dive into query revisions with YA fantasy writer, Julia! Julia and Jessica have spent the last few months in revisions, taking a good query and transforming it into an amazing one. Today we share all the insights learned from this process, how to be resilient, receive feedback, and make your pitch pop.Julia's bio: I am a graduate…

We love Kaitlyn! She’s so happy, perceptive, kind, and talented—AND a literary agent who’s created community for her writers, a strong sales track record, and a team of authors—all while being a full-time math teacher, educating young minds. Book a meeting with her here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/kaitlyn-sanchezKaitlyn Sanchez (…

Do you have a book that's "No plot, just vibes"? We're here to support you! Join agent Taj McCoy to discuss how to feel good from Draft One to Done. We talk about how subconscious themes, sensory details, and putting new twists on familiar tropes can bring your work to life. We love how Taj talks about starting with the layers you know best first s…

Content warning: brief mentions of fictional sexual assault off the page throughout the episode. We are so happy to talk with bestselling author Cameron Kelly Rosenblum, author of The Stepping Off Place and, now, The Sharp Edge of Silence. After ten years on submission, Cameron can now sell fiction without even writing the whole book—making deals o…