Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I want to thank everyone for their help. I think I'm going to step away from the Query-go-round for a while. I'm constantly amazed at how tough the Query part of writing can be. I'm going to work on editing my MS for a while, and hope for an epiphany for writing a query.

DougM

Hi Nathan,

I received an e-mail from AuthorHive.com Who are they and is privately funded publicity for a book necessary? Isn't this something that agents and publishers provide for authors?

Thanks, DougM

Dear Agent, No move in Devin Briar’s life is his choosing, from the simple government job he starts out with, to his climb to power by sheer innuendo and circumstance. Who is behind his rise to power and why him? Is it the powerful Senator, he’s related to, or the five influential members of the med...

This my latest attempt, I feel like it is close, I hope you all agree. Dear Agent, Desmoree shale is a feisty fashion photographer living in Belfox, Australia. The death of her mother breaks the spell of protection, revealing her to the seers, and awakening her dormant fairy abilities. (The spell t...

Dear Agent, He was chosen, for a reason that he can’t fathom, by mysterious people that lurk in the shadows of his life. They have to get him ready to stand in front of a runaway political freight train. To do that, they have to transform him into a powerful political voice. The problem is, the pers...

Name of Novel - Devin Briar

Life had a way of being whatever the moment intended, not what Devin Briar desired.

Thanks to everyone who shredded and burned my early query letter attempts. From the ashes, I've created what I hope will be a final draft. All comments and suggestions are welcome and appreciated. ------------------------------------------ Dear [Agent], Disillusioned Air Force Major Jarv Guerra’s c...

I've become curious about how many genres are represented by those in participating in this Forum. So how about this: Enter your genre and title of MS here. I'll total them all up after we have a few hundred entrees and post the results. Why should I you may ask? I have no idea... Call it market res...

I have $1.83 in unmarked bills for the person that can come up with a way to make writing a query letter less soul crushing! I write hundreds of thousands of words, but choke at the 250ish to be sent to an agent.

I appreciate the feedback. Got a little bored and wrote this on a whim. I'm no where near ready to submit my novel, but thought learning about the Query letter process wouldn't be a bad thing to do. Regarding Word count: The Novel comes out at 803 pages, double spaced, 12 point font. I've considered...

Dear Agent, Devin Briar can’t seem to imagine a peaceful life. His best friend and roommate, Robin Denton, a world renowned Physicist, can’t imagine life without Devin and her Bugs Bunny slippers. No move in Devin’s life is of his choosing, from the simple government job he starts out with, to his c...

Polymath, Spot on as usual. Narrative distance can be controlled by the tempo in which you write. I find the more active my scene, the more effort is necessary to keep the narrative from falling away. Pace is crucial to narrative distance, at least for me. Changing narrative intimacy, can be done in...

I made a slanted keyboard shelf (26 degrees) with a bracket that slides into the front of my deck. Then I elevated the monitor, so as I lean back in my desk chair, the angle of the keyboard allows me to rest my elbows on the armrests as well as reduced neck pain. I have a bad shoulder and this reduc...

This is my first attempt at a query letter. I've read Nathan's blog on the subject along with many other blogs. I've read some books that give advice and I've read a lot of the letters and advice in this forum. Having no personal baseline with which to compare this letter, I'm hoping to get your th...

Hi Polymath, A provocative insight and so much rings true. So much so, that I am immediately drawn to my self-interest. Instead of working on my house I will... Maybe my motives are in conflict due to a sudden urge toward hedonism? My house is my house, the impetus to do what is needed or desired no...