Welcome to Agent in the Middle

Welcome to our annual literary agents issue! Last year we did an issue called, Walking in an Agent’s Shoes, which focused on demystifying the myth of the big bad literary agent. In that issue we asked the agents a fun interpretive question, “What’s your favorite pair of shoes? And what is it like to walk in them?” Each agent had a completely different response, and we had our illustrator (A.K.A. me) draw a picture of the shoe with a saying under it. The shoe symbolized their personality quite accurately! I thought it would be fun to see them all in one place, so here are some of the answers from last year’s question:

What’s your favorite pair of shoes? And what is it like to walk in them?

Jennifer DeChiara said:

“My favorite pair of shoes are my very first pair of ballet shoes; they still fit me because I didn't start dancing until I was sixteen. I had wanted to study ballet since I was a baby, but my parents couldn't afford to give me lessons. I was determined to be a ballerina, and each week I would save my babysitting money for classes at the community ballet school. Although everyone around me told me I was too old to start lessons and that I should abandon all hopes of ever becoming a dancer, I proved them wrong. Right after college, I danced professionally with several ballet companies and even worked as a principal dancer for some opera companies. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it was also one of the best things I've ever done. Every once in a while when life gets overwhelming and I start feeling that things are impossible, I slip those shoes on and walk around in them. Sometimes I swear I can even hear applause.”

Read the rest of the interview here: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/3-jenniferdechiara.php

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Sandra Dijkstra said:

“Birkenstocks, which allow freedom and a good bounce!”

Read the rest of the interview here: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/3-sandradijkstra.php

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Betsy Amster said:

“Chunky Dansko sandals. Very stable yet just a little bit glam.”

Read the rest of the interview here: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/3-betsyamster.php

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Wendy Keller said:

“My favorite pair of shoes would be the Uggs I stole from my teenage daughter. I bought them for her one Christmas and a year later, she’d outgrown them. I found them moldering under her bed, washed them and absconded. They are the antithesis to a stressful work day.”

Read the rest of the interview here: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/3-20questionswendykeller.php

Insider Note: The reason why I put gold fish around the shoe was because of something Wendy said in the interview: “Aw, heck. Don’t tell your membership but I’d represent a goldfish if it could write and had a speaking platform.”

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That just goes to show you how different these ladies are! And the importance of finding the right agent to fit your work.

Agents are the essential contact to editors whose jobs depend on choosing the right titles. They provide the screening, editing, and polished material that quickly eclipses all other means of submission, especially if that agent has an established relationship with editorial standards. They know who to pitch your work to, and which publisher would be the best choice for your material. Agents are middlemen (or middlewomen in our case) who make deals for you as an author so you can focus on your writing. Thus, we have our theme, Agent in the Middle.

And do we have a great issue for you! Almost everything you ever wanted and needed to know about literary agents is covered here.

A Warm Welcome to the WOW! Family goes out to Freelancers:

Del Sandeen kicks off the issue with her thorough article How to Get a Literary Agent. This is a fantastic must-read and will introduce you to the world of agents. In our Freelancer’s Corner we have Author Susan Kearney’s List of Questions to Ask Your Agent. Take advice from Susan, a bestselling author! And this time we have something extra special from our monthly columnist, C. Hope Clark. She shows you how to Do the Literary Agent Shuffle, and lets you in on her personal journey as she seeks out the perfect agent. You’re going to love this breakout article from Hope! And this month we have a different sort of How 2. Jennifer Wright freelances for a top NY agency and reads through the slush pile and tells us How 2 Write a Bad Query: What Not to Do. This is a fun and informative article with an upside down take!

And of course, to our WOW! staff: intern Sally Franklin Christie for her captivating interview with Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware. This article is a real eye-opener! You have to read the part where Victoria shares a story of the worst agent scam...wow. Editor Sue Donckels gets The Inside Scoop from Literary Agent Kristin Nelson in this fascinating interview! Kristin shares a query that won her attention and adds comments each step of the way. It’s interesting to see what an agent sees. Contributing Editor Annette Fix has two knockout articles this month: How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal (don’t miss this one!) and Secrets for your Success: Signing with the Perfect Agent (an interview with Wendy Sherman). Thanks Annette for burning the midnight oil to bring us these two features! And finally, to my interviewees: Literary Agent Janet Reid for our 20 Questions column, and Shai Coggins of b5media for inspiring us to experiment and have fun!

Also, thank you to Chynna Laird for heading up our markets, to Debbie Delgado-Hand for taking on the blog and for all her support, and to Cher’ley Grogg, Joanne Stacey, and Kesha Grant for the wonderful job they do with contest entries. You ladies rock!

Congratulations goes out to Chynna!

If you read our last Inspiration Column with Jean Lauzier and Chynna Laird, you know about Chynna’s special little girl, Jaimie, and her story that was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs.

Chynna shared another special surprise with us in this blog post Insight Into Self-Publishers. That’s right, Chynna’s picture book I'm Not Weird, I Have SID is out and available! You can buy it on Amazon or through Outskirts Press.

This book is beautiful, and a wonderful educational tool to anyone who knows a child with SID, has a child with SID, or a child who wants to understand their friend or themselves. Chynna did a super thing by bringing this book into the world. I urge you to check it out. I guarantee you’ll be moved and inspired.

Announcement: NEW to WOW!:

Have you heard of the latest addition to WOW!?

If you don't subscribe to our "Market's Newsletter" then you have no clue what we're talking about. But that's okay... only truly dedicated freelance writers need subscribe!

What is it?

Well, if you've subscribed to our FREE "Market's Newsletter" you'd already know. How do you subscribe to our Free Market's Newsletter (AKA: Think Green)?

Go to any page on the website and subscribe or update your subscription in the gray box. If you're a long-time subscriber, you may have missed this option because we recently added new newsletters in the past few months. And our Think Green! Market's Newsletter is free, but for the truly dedicated we offer an ultimate newsletter for freelancers called Premium-Green Markets.

Here's what it's all about:

Support WOW! and we'll support you!

We at WOW! want to keep providing you with the best content out there for women writers and keep our free publication alive and well for many years to come.

The WOW! online magazine will always continue to be free as long as we exist, and we will continue to provide jobs and freelance gigs for women writers. It's our goal to support the blood, sweat, and tears of your writing efforts.

And we know that even in this day and age there still aren't as many places for women to have their work published—as our monthly columnist C. Hope Clark observed in her September article. "Other than in the romance arena, men writers outnumber women. Or let's say that published men writers outnumber women."

That's why we continue to strive for the best and create needed markets for women writers. By subscribing to Premium-Green Markets we will guide you through the rough waters and help you get those published clips!

When I first started WOW! I made myself a promise—that I'd NEVER ask for a donation from any of you ladies. To me, that defeats the purpose of helping women writers, and I've always found those things to be cheesy! I'd rather offer you a valuable product for your hard-earned dollars. So, let me tell you what you'll get when you subscribe to the Premium-Green Markets:

Select Markets Especially for Women Writers!

Pink & Green

This selection of Premium-Green called, "Pink & Green" goes in-depth to bring you the BEST in writer's markets for women.

And we don't just list them, we ask the editors what they want! This way you'll always get up-to-date information of what these editors want to see in their inbox TODAY! This increases your odds in finding a fit for your work, which is our goal.

Columns found ONLY in Premium-Green:

In the Trenches
by Chynna Laird

Editor Chynna Laird lives 'in the trenches'—as a full-time freelancer, she knows what it takes to make a living from her writing. Chynna shares her personal experiences in the world of freelancing: publications she's submitted to, responses to her queries (both acceptance and rejection), and tips that have worked for her. Written in conversational journal-style entries, Chynna lets you step inside her world by sharing her secrets. Grow your freelance career with Chynna!

Tips & Tricks
by Angela Mackintosh

Angela loves to write How-tos, and step-by-step articles. If you're familiar with her blog posts or features on WOW!, Angela breaks down complex topics in easy-to-grasp language.

Topics include: How to win over an editor's heart, how to start and maintain a successful website, blogging for bucks, how to set up your business structure for your home-based freelance business, promotion and guerilla marketing, & more!

Get Writing, Mamas!
by Chynna Laird

As a mother of three children under the age of five, Chynna takes you through the process of writing around life and what you have to do to make it work for you. And YES you can make a living and be a mommy too!

Topics include: workspace organization, prioritizing, anecdotes about motherhood and writing, inspiration for writing moms, networking, and motivation. This is not to miss!

Interviews with Editors, Publishers, and Freelancers:

Meet Your Mentor

Each issue we'll spotlight a particular subject and ask an expert for their advice to help guide you through the waters of freelancing. You never know, you may meet your mentor or life-coach!

Inter-Activities for Freelancers:

Workbook

Here you will find interactive exercises to help get you inspired, motivated, and provide feedback. It may be in the form of a quiz, or a worksheet that you can print out and fill in. We urge you to save these to track your writing progress over the year. It's a journal of YOU and your writing career. At the end of the year, we'll ask if you want to submit your wild notes and scribbles to "Project Workbook"—an ebook compilation. We compile it and send them out to Premium-Green subscribers at the end of the year so you can read through your fellow freelancers notes and be inspired!

Your Questions Answered:

More than your Magic 8-Ball
Answered by Annette Fix (our resident know-it-all!)

Submit your question on anything you'd like to know the answer to, and we'll publish it in our Q&A column. Anything goes here. You can ask questions about life, freelancing, writing, editing, or personal issues. We'll answer all of them!

All signs point to yes!

Markets, Markets, and More Markets:

Besides our fabulous columns to guide you through your freelancing career, we bring you a top-notch selection of markets tailored to your tastes.

* Pink & Green Markets
* Fiction Addiction
* Nonfiction: Freelancer's Delight
* Contract Jobs: Writer's Wanted
* Anthologies
* Contests
* Niche Markets (such as slogans, greeting cards, etc.)

All served up fresh to bring you the Green!

Bonuses and Bunches for your Bucks:

At the end of the year you'll receive two ebooks:

Fueled by Premium-Green: A compilation of a whole year's worth of the Premium-Green newsletter's columns and markets in ebook form. Plus additional articles and resources for women freelancers not found anywhere else!

Project Workbook: This is all about you! (See the above section under "Workbook") This ebook combines all the worksheets given throughout the year that you filled in. It'll be put together in 'slam book' momento for all subscribers. This tracks your progress and your fellow freelancer's progress all in one fun and inspirational slam ebook!

Specials only for Premium-Green Subscribers:

At times we'll have specials that will only be offered to Premium-Green subscribers. These may be discounts on books, products, services, or giveaways offered to PG subscribers only. You will not find these elsewhere. Lucky you!

Subscribe today and let us walk you through your freelance writing career! And most of all, we'll help you have fun along your journey!

Cost: $24 a year

That's less than $2 per issue. With all the bonuses, you can't go wrong. And you'll be supporting women writers, WOW!, and giving us the fuel to keep striving for the best!

Subscribe to the Premium-Green Markets today!

Support WOW! Women On Writing and we'll support you. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Let's make this a banner year for freelancers!

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Yes, it’s that time again. November = National Novel Writing Month! So, sharpen your pencils or warm up your computer keys—and start that novel now!

Maybe you’re a short story writer who has always wanted to try a novel-length piece… Maybe you’ve finished a novel and have been dragging your feet getting started on the next one… Maybe you’re a freelance writer and have always wanted to try your hand at writing a novel, but you’ve been reluctant to step out of your comfort zone and put it on the page… Well, now is your chance.

Check out www.nanowrimo.org and sign up for the challenge. Pledge to complete a 50,000-word novel in 30 days.

Impossible you say? It sure sounds like it, but many writers have taken the challenge and made the word count by the midnight deadline on November 30th.

Go to the NaNoWriMo site and you’ll find plenty of encouragement when you join the community of writers in the forum.  (But don’t spend so much time posting that you let yourself get behind!)

If you are on the fence about whether you think you can meet the challenge, try NaNoWriMo anyway. The worst thing that can happen is that you have a jumpstart on writing new material for a future novel.

The 50,000-word count does look a little intimidating, but if you break it down, it really is doable.

(I did do a little rounding up with the math, but this will get you to the deadline with a few words over the 50,000.)

Take a look at the numbers in this bite-sized breakdown:

If you plan to set aside time every day and write seven days a week for those 30 days, you need to write approximately 1,667 words per day. That works out to be approximately 3.6 pages if you single-space, or about 7.1 pages if you double-space (estimation based on an average words per page of 469/235 respectively).

If you want to keep your weekends open for hot dates and nights out with the girls, or to fulfill your soccer mom duties and church responsibilities, you’ll have to crank out more words in your five-day writing week: approximately 2,273 words per day. That means you’ll have to do 4.8 pages a day single-spaced, or 9.7 pages double-spaced (also based on an average of 469/235 words per page respectively).

Of course, make sure you check your word-count function before you hang up your writing hat at the end of each day, but the numbers above will give you an idea of how to look at the 50,000 words “bird-by-bird.”

10 Tips and Tricks to Make It to the Nano Finish Line:

1. Lock your internal editor out of your head and don’t let her return until December 1st—absolutely no exceptions.
2. Give yourself permission to write horrible dialogue and purple prose—you can clean it up later. Just get the ideas on the page.
3. Don’t waste time going back to read what you wrote the day before, or your internal editor will sneak in through the back door you just opened.
4. Be a slave (the fun kind—with fluffy handcuffs) to your minimum daily word count.
5. If you go over your minimum daily word count, do keep going while you are in the flow, but don’t push yourself to the point of burnout or you won’t want to show up at the page the next day.
6. Don’t let anyone read your novel in progress! Negative comments or even helpful suggestions will switch you from creator mode to editor mode. Don’t go there.
7. Don’t censor your ideas. If it seems like an implausible plot to have a 90-year-old great grandmother take up skydiving 6 months before her 91st birthday, let her! You may be surprised where your characters take you if you let them decide where they want to go.
8. Do find a little way to treat yourself every day for reaching your word count—it establishes positive reinforcement in your mind.
9. Be proud of yourself for taking on the challenge.
10. Remember NaNoWriMo is supposed to be fun!

GO! We’ll see you at the finish line!