Free-tique contest with Jennifer Jaeger of ABLA is now open!

Free-tique contest with agent Jennifer Jaeger of Andrea Brown Literary Agency is open for Entries!

Why do you want to enter?
1) It’s a chance to see how you stand among your competition FOR FREE.
2) If you pass Snoop’s muster, it’s another way to get yourself in front of a notable literary agent QUICKLY!
3) It’s just plain fun, y’all.

Submissions are open from now until 11:59PM (CST) Friday, October 26th.

Q: What elements make for a good hook, particularly at a story’s outset?

Q: What elements make for a good hook, particularly at a story’s outset?

A: Hook is really hard to define. But here’s how I look at it (in terms of opening pages)

It’s something that draws you in.

It could be a first line.
It could be a character’s unique voice.
It could be an interesting situation on the first pages.
It could be the style in which the piece is written.

Q: I want to write for teens, but I’m much older than a teen…

Q: I want to write for teens, but I’m much older than a teen and don’t really know if it’s something I can tackle without coming across as unauthentic. What’s the best way to learn how to write for the teen audience in particular?

A: The best way to get to know how to write for YA is to read a bunch of YA novels. You don’t even have to read the whole book; opening chapters say a lot about the great range within YA.

Q: If a publisher’s guidelines says to address all submissions to a general submissions editor…

Q: If a publisher’s guidelines says to address all submissions to a general
submissions editor (e.g., acquisitions editor or something similar) versus a specific person, is it acceptable to “break those rules” if I learn about an editor there who has preferences for the kind of work I write?

A: Almost all houses have submissions guidelines that are generic or say to send something to SUBMISSIONS EDITOR, or something like that.