The Art of Getting Published

The Art of Getting Published:
From Query Letters to Book Proposals to Getting
Your Work Read
January 19-20, 2022
8 to 10 p.m. Eastern (5 to 7 p.m. Pacific)

Agents. Queries. Proposals. Contracts.

In today’s publishing world, writing a great book is not enough. You also need a business mindset, leaving a lot of authors feeling lost.

This class, featuring two seasoned literary agents, will help you navigate the business of publishing so you’ll know how to find an agent, work with a publisher, and write a great query letter and proposal, increasing the chances your work will be read.

You’ll be in the excellent hands of Andy Ross, agent and author of The Literary Agent's Guide to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal and Ask the Agent; and Laura Mazer, an agent who previously worked as an executive editor at Seal Press and knows the editorial process from the inside out.

The two of them have known each other for years and will be co-leading this two-session class to give you double the insights and information.

This class will give you the confidence to take the next step in your writing career.

The Q&A format of this class means you can get your questions answered.

Is your project right for commercial publishing? How do you turn a book idea into a big/marketable idea?
How do you transition from the creativity of writing to the business mindset of selling your book?
How do you know if you need a literary agent? What do agents do?
Where do you find the right agent for you? What questions do you need to ask?
How can an agent help your writing career?
How do agents decide which authors to represent?
Should you get a New York agent? Should you go to a big agency?
What are the pros/cons of signing with an experienced agent vs. someone newer to the playing field?
What makes a good agent? A bad agent?
Do you need a different kind of agent if you’re writing books and screenplays?
What is a query letter and how do you write one that will get an agent’s attention?
What are agents looking for in fiction and nonfiction?
What does an agent contract look like?
Is there a “best” time of year to query?
How does an agent help you find a publisher?
What’s a book proposal and how do you write one?
Do you need a proposal for a novel? How about a memoir?
How do editors and publishers decide what to publish? Who will be reading your proposal or manuscript before you get an offer?
What does a publishing contract look like?
What kind of advance can an author expect?
How much do publishers really care about platform? Do you really have to tweet?
Once you get a publishing contract, what happens next?

Here’s how the course will unfold:

January 19: Andy Ross specializes in both fiction and nonfiction and will lift the curtain on the unknowns about the business and culture of book publishing. He’ll give you honest, practical advice to reduce the intimidation factor and better understand how to be successful in publishing. He'll also share the best query letter he's ever seen and break down how to write a successful query and nonfiction book proposal.

January 20: Laura Mazer will focus on the author-agent relationship and the qualities that make a manuscript marketable. Ever wonder what happens at a publishing company and how they decide which books to publish? Laura will take you behind the scenes, giving you a first-hand look at the decision-making process so you can understand what sells, what doesn't, and how you can realistically increase your chances of getting published.

Faculty

Laura Mazer

Andy Ross

Debra Engle

Amy Ferris

Registration fee: $129 for four hours of instruction
January 19-20, 2022

EVENING CLASS

8 to 10 p.m. Eastern (5 to 7 p.m. Pacific)

Please note: Our classes are designed specifically for live participation, so your
attendance is important. If you need to miss a class for any reason, you’ll receive
a passcode-protected link to watch the recordings after the course is over.