Guide to Literary Agents - How Live Readings Can Help Your Writing 3/14/11 9:38 AM

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Posted by Chuck
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Go I am working the streets of San Francisco. Nightly, I prowl around Haight-Ashbury
and North Beach, the Castro and Tenderloin, Fourth Street and Folsom. I ply my
Click to subscribe via RSS trade with men … as well as women, transgenders, at least one self-described Druid
and the occasional mental patient. Oh, and writers, lots of wonderful, polished,
professional, prolific, amateurish, awful and eager writers.
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My trade is my novel: Finding Clarity: A Mom, a Dwarf and a Posh Private School in
Get Our Entire Literary Agent the People’s Republic of Berkeley. And reading from it in a wide variety of venues to
Database (1,000+) at a complex and varied audience is a ball. I am having the time of my life – and that’s
WritersMarket.com without landing either an agent or a publisher yet.

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March, 2011 (21)

February, 2011 (41)
January, 2011 (41)
December, 2010 (36)
November, 2010 (45)
October, 2010 (54)
September, 2010 (49)
August, 2010 (37) Guest column by Laura Novak. Laura was a
July, 2010 (32) television news reporter before writing for The
New York Times on business, health and the arts.
June, 2010 (33)
She is working on the Clari Drake Mystery Series
May, 2010 (39) set in Berkeley. Laura lives in the Bay Area and
April, 2010 (47) you can find her work on Scribd.com or reach
March, 2010 (50) her on Twitter. She also writes the "Medicine &
Manhood" column for The Good Men Project Magazine.
February, 2010 (38)
January, 2010 (45)
December, 2009 (46)
Two years ago I began transitioning from my career as a journalist by tapering off
November, 2009 (49)
my work for The New York Times. I took my debut novel through several edits and
October, 2009 (41) began to explore the complicated road to publication. Social Media provided an
September, 2009 (43) opportunity to write for others and vastly expand my network of friends and
August, 2009 (52) colleagues.
July, 2009 (30) THE VALUE OF AN OPEN MIC
June, 2009 (25)
May, 2009 (20) In less than a year, I have become a top female author on Scribd.com, with 43,000
followers. As a result, the Scribd team invited me to read from Finding Clarity at this
April, 2009 (29)
year’s Lit Quake festival in San Francisco.
March, 2009 (35)
February, 2009 (22) I’d been a television news reporter back in the day. But to prepare for Lit Quake, I
January, 2009 (26) decided to scour San Francisco’s “open mic” scene. I figured if performance venues
are good for struggling comics, they might just as well be a great idea for an author
December, 2008 (12) with a completed manuscript.
November, 2008 (15)
October, 2008 (12) A simple Google search turned up a well-organized Bay Area open mic calendar,
which meant I had no excuse but to dive in. As with most things in life, the first
September, 2008 (13)

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Guide to Literary Agents - How Live Readings Can Help Your Writing 3/14/11 9:38 AM

which meant I had no excuse but to dive in. As with most things in life, the first
September, 2008 (13)
night was the hardest. But at each reading I’ve made friends, broadened my author
August, 2008 (23) connections and learned about the best places to read (the criteria being
July, 2008 (17) microphone quality, lighting and available food.)
June, 2008 (23)
The words “Smack Dab,” “Melt,” “Brain Wash” and the “Sacred Grounds Café” now
May, 2008 (20) roll off my tongue as if I’d been on the scene for decades. I’ve stood elbow to elbow
April, 2008 (18) with scruffy young things and their guitars at the Hotel Utah and I bonded with a
March, 2008 (22) working girl who gave me her undivided attention while I read from Chapter One in
the Tenderloin.
February, 2008 (26)
January, 2008 (22) REVISION FROM READINGS
December, 2007 (11)
November, 2007 (13) You don't have to wait for "something to happen" in order for things to be
happening with your novel. I am out there doing it, living it! And I'm broadening my
October, 2007 (24) exposure for my manuscript. Each time I read, I explore my own text, emphasize
September, 2007 (13) words differently and take chances on intonation and pacing. I’ve absorbed silence
August, 2007 (34) and learned to pause when the belly laughs were so loud and long, even I had to
chuckle at my own writing.
July, 2007 (38)
June, 2007 (33) I don’t know what will happen with Finding Clarity. All I know is that I love it and
7 Things I've Learned So Far love sharing it. And I am delighted that people sit quietly and give me the gift of
their undivided attention when my five minutes on stage has begun.
Agency Profile
Agent Advice (Agent My novel is undergoing a final copy edit as I write this. But I am not on hold.
Interviews) Finding Clarity doesn’t have to come to a bookstore near me for this journey to be
Around the Properties complete. I am living my life by reading my words weekly, in all sorts of glorious,
Author Interviews wild and crazy places. For me, this is what it is to be an author. And now I believe I
just heard the timer. You’ve been a great audience. Thank you so much!
Breaking In (Writer's Digest)
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Contracts and Copyrights and
Money
Cover Band Venting
Craft and Story Beginnings
Definitions
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Footnotes
Formatting Need to sharpen the beginning of your novel?
Genre Writing Check out the great resource Hooked, which is
Graphic Novels all about writing an excellent Chapter 1.
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Illustrators Want more on this subject?
Inspiration
Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com
Literary Fiction
Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.
Magazine Writing Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.
Marketing and Sales Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2011
Memoir Guide to Literary Agents today!

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My Writing Life Craft and Story Beginnings | Guest Columns
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More Links

2nd Draft Critique Service

Before you send out your work, have it
edited by an established pro!

Agency Gatekeeper
A literary agent shares secrets.

Agent in the Middle

Agent Lori Perkins blogs and tells all

Ashley Grayson Agent Blog

From the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency

Ask the Agent

Literary agent Andy Ross in Oakland runs
an agency blog.

Association of Authors'
Representatives
Barbara Doyen's Articles Page
Agent Barbara Doyen shares her
knowledge.

Barry Goldblatt Literary

A blog from the whole agency.

BookEnds Agent Blog

Agents from Bookends Literary blog

Brenda Bowen
Agent Brenda Bowen's "Bunny Eat Bunny"
kids writing blog.

Cameron McClure
Cameron, with the Donald Maass Lit
Agency, runs her "Book Cannibal" blog.

Caren Johnson Literary Agency

The official CJLA blog

Children's Writer's and

Illustrator's Market Blog
This blog, run by Alice Pope, is a must-
read for anyone writing in the juvenile
market

Chip MacGregor's Agent Blog

A Christian agent speaks

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Guide to Literary Agents - How Live Readings Can Help Your Writing 3/14/11 9:38 AM

Chuck's conference speaking

schedule
See where Chuck will be presenting and
when!

Colleen Lindsay's Agent Blog

A new agent at FinePrint Literary blogs

DHS Literary Blog

David Hale Smith's "Literary Show and
Tell" blog.

Diana Fox's Agent Blog

A literary agent talks publishing

Dystel & Goderich Agent Blog

Eddie Schneider
An agent from JABberwocky Literary
blogs.

Elaine English Literary Agency

Blog
A blog from the whole agency.

F+W Bookstore
Buy Guide to Literary Agents and a bunch
of other great WD Books.

FinePrint Literary Management

Blog
A blog from the whole agency.

Folio Literary Management's Blog

All the agents chime in on this new blog

Fresh Books Blog

An agency blog.

Full Circle Literary's Blog

Agents from Full Circle Literary in
California blog

Girl Meets Book

Agent Jamie Brenner of Artists & Artisans
blogs.

Greenhouse Literary Blog

Agent Sarah Davies shares her thoughts
and wisdom

Hartline Literary Blog

A blog from the whole agency.

Janet Reid
Agent Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary
gives her two cents on anything and
everything

Jennifer Jackson's Agent Blog

An agent with the Donald Maass Literary
Agency blogs

Jenny Bent's Blog

From the founder of The Bent Agency.

Jill Corcoran
A kids agent at the Herman Agency blogs.

Joshua Bilmes Agent Blog

JABberwocky Literary Agency

Kathleen Ortiz Agent Blog

Kathleen with Lowenstein Associates

Kelly Mortimer
Agent Kelly Mortimer's "Perils of
Publishing" blog.

Ken Atchity
The president of AEI, a script and literary
management co., blogs.

Kid Lit
A blog by kids agent Mary Kole of the
Andrea Brown Literary Agency

Kimberly Cameron & Associates

A blog from the whole agency.

Knight Agency Blog

Exactly what it sounds like

Laurie McLean's Agent Blog

The "Agent Savant" blog

Lit Soup (Jenny Rappaport's

Agent Blog)
An agent at the L. Perkins Agency blogs

Lucienne Diver's Agent Blog

A blog on "Authorial, Agently and
Personal Ramblings."

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Guide to Literary Agents - How Live Readings Can Help Your Writing 3/14/11 9:38 AM

Lyons Literary Agent Blog

Agent Jonathan Lyons blogs

MFA Confidential Blog

This new WD blog features Kate Monahan
and all things about getting an MFA

Michael Larsen's Blog

Agent Michael Larsen of Larsen - Pomada
Literary Agents blogs about publishing
and nonfiction writing.

Miss Snark
No longer active, but this blog by
anonymous agent Miss Snark still has
oodles of priceless info in its archives

Nathan Bransford
A popular blog from an agent at Curtis
Brown in San Francisco

Nephele Tempest's Agent Blog

An agent with the Knight Agency blogs

Poetic Asides
A poetry blog from the editor of Writer's
Market

Promptly (Prompts Blog)

WD's own blog of writing prompts, run by
magazine staffer Zac Petit

Pub Rants
Kristin Nelson's Agent Blog

Publishers Marketplace
Query Shark
Janet Reid's blog where she dissects
query letters

Questions and Quandaries Blog

WD staffer Brian A. Klems answers
questions of all kinds

Rachelle Gardner
A blog by an agent who specializes in
Christian Writing

Romantic Reads
Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt
blogs romance.

Sara Crowe's Blog

An agent from Harvey Klinger blogs.

Scott Eagan's Agent Blog

The great Greyhaus agent blogs away.

Script Notes
A WD scriptwriting blog from Chad
Gervich, TV producer

Steve Laube's Agent Blog

A Christian agent and former editor talks
the biz.

Suzie Townsend
A new assistant agent at FinePrint Literary
blogs.

Terry Burns's Blog

An agent with Hartline Literary blogs.

Terry Whalin's Blog

"The Writing Life," as told by a former
editor and agent.

The Buried Editor

A blog dedicated to juvenile writing (YA,
middle grade, picture books) run by an
editor at CBAY Books and Blooming Tree
Press

The Gail Ross Literary Agency

The agency blog.

The Inside Pitch Screenwriting

Blog
A Hollywood Executive Talks About
Screenwriting

The New Literary Agents

A few new literary agents share advice.

The Rejecter (Anonymous Agent)

The Shatzkin Files
The Sound and the Furry
WD contributor Nancy Parish talks writing.

There Are No Rules

Jane Friedman of Writer's Digest Books,

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Guide to Literary Agents - How Live Readings Can Help Your Writing 3/14/11 9:38 AM

talks about publishing trends and has

interviews online

Tracy Marchini
An agent from Curtis Brown, Ltd. blogs

United States Copyright Office

Upstart Crow Blog
A blog from the whole agency at Upstart
Crow Literary.

Waxman Literary Agency

A blog from the whole agency.

Wendy Sherman Associates Blog

Multiple agents blog.

Writer Beware
A site dedicated to protecting writers
from scams of all kinds - including
unscrupulous agents

Writer Unboxed
Primarily devoted to genre fiction, this
site features plenty of interviews with
industry pros

Writer's Digest magazine

This big hub has tons of online articles
from past issues of WD. Check out the
revamped new site!

Writer's Digest University

(Writers Online Workshops)
Online writing courses are taught by WD
staffers and contributors

Writer's Market
This pay site is our online database of
listings (magazines, book publishers,
agents, and everything else). It has more
than 6,000 listings.

Writing-World
A huge writing website and resource
writers should check out.

Wylie Merrick Agency's Blog

Zack Company Blog
Agent Andrew Zack blogs.

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