When Mahi Cheshire sent out the first version of what would become Deadly Cure, it was a New Adult novel about med school rivals. Now, in final form, it’s a medical thriller with a rivalry at the heart of the plot. Mahi had to learn “on the job,” as it were, how to write a thriller—so we talk about how she learned to increase tension and stakes—and to focus on what she can’t stop thinking about (and why you should, too). We also talk about how writing a rivalry is like writing a romance in rever...
Jul 27, 2022•30 min
We are so proud of writer Robyn Ryle! She’s the first person to get feedback twice from our feedback panels—and by the time she’d incorporated the feedback from the first panel, the second panel was blown away by her revision, her stakes, and her quick turnaround. We go over versions one and two, talk about the balance of giving versus hiding details, reader investment versus tension—and why writing your query halfway through your manuscript may be perfect timing. We also talk about what agents ...
Jul 09, 2022•34 min
We are so happy to welcome the creative and delightful Anna Sargeant, editor at Sourcebooks, to the podcast! We talk about Anna’s journey from curriculum development to children’s books, Sourcebooks and their growth mindset, what makes for good children’s nonfiction, and how being an editor changed her approach to rejection. Plus, we talk about her fiction podcast, how Bridge to Terabithia changed her life, and whether you can pitch her (and editors) directly. Read her post on nonfiction that's ...
Jul 01, 2022•33 min
This week! Join our NEW Submission Packet Workshop to get your query and first pages optimized for today’s stressed-out agent. Learn more here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/submission-packet-workshop Have you ever wondered about the rule to not pitch agents and small presses at the same time? Or wondered how small presses treat you—versus agents? Douglas Weissman thought he was set right away—he has an MFA thesis project, and was exited to start querying. Nine years later, he pivoted an...
Jun 26, 2022•43 min
In the first lockdown of 2020, Juno Dawson’s editor was expecting a YA thriller—but all she wanted to write was Desperate Housewives, with witches. We talk about organizing multiple storylines, plotting a trilogy, and the question of “At what point do you turn the card”—when do you reveal information to the reader? Plus the delightful idea that a story is like a VHS tape for your brain, the fact that the voice of Lady Whistledown narrates her audiobook, and how you can find YOUR story—and tell i...
Jun 20, 2022•35 min
We are thrilled to talk with author May Cobb about planning your author financial life, working with multiple agents, writing lifelike sociopaths, and the changing trends of “likability” in characters. We loved reading My Summer Darlings—it really is the perfect summer read—and hearing about the story behind the story. May says: I grew up in the piney woods of East Texas where MY SUMMER DARLINGS, THE HUNTING WIVES and BIG WOODS are set. After college, I moved to San Francisco where I studied Vic...
Jun 08, 2022•36 min
Today is a longer than usual episode—something we thought about breaking into two chunks, but—just as Jessica hates requesting a 50-page partial, getting to a cliffhanger, and having to wait for more—we figured we’d bring you everything, the full episode, all at once. This is an episode that goes deep into the dynamics between authors, agents, the industry, and what authors can reasonably expect (and how to get it). The beginning is an interview on referral-only agencies, publishing norms, and h...
Jun 01, 2022•55 min
We love this author-agent pair! When Kimberly Brower first offered representation, she worried that, in a multiple offer situation, Jessica Payne would say no. Some authors just want a quick "It's perfect, I'll send it tomorrow"--but this was actually the first sign that they'd be the perfect pair. We discuss why nurses great make thriller writers, how international rights work (and what you should ask your future agent), and how to find critique partners whose work you *want* to read. Plus, how...
May 20, 2022•38 min
We are so excited to speak with bestselling author Emily Henry (Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation) about all things character—how to make a character intense yet likable, how to make dialogue snappy yet believable—and how to make the most of an enemies-to-lovers dynamic. We also discuss over-editing, the (false!) idea that there’s a magic formula for getting published, and how Emily got her first agent the traditional "Google and cold query" way. We also discuss what makes female (versus ma...
May 13, 2022•28 min
We are so happy to introduce today’s podcast guest. The New York Times Book Review calls her work, SEARCH, “A wicked pleasure... Huneven is a wise storyteller...this novel has plot, character, structure and a delicious, deeply human pettiness that I think most honest readers will relate to... [Huneven's] descriptions of food are the best I've ever read." We loved our conversation with Michelle! Not only did her career start with a 700-page novel—and a great misunderstanding that lead to getting ...
May 06, 2022•20 min
We are thrilled to bring you our interview and Q&A with Celia Anne Browne who, from the age of seven, has been exploring various forms of storytelling—from acting on a children’s show through being a ballerina and, now, as a writer, director, producer, agent, and more. Celia is at a wonderful intersection of these storytelling mediums—and we are thrilled to ask her (and let you ask!) your questions about how to share your buskin with the world. This was originally recorded as part of our Mem...
Apr 28, 2022•30 min
We talk with Liz Goulet Dubois about the intersection of writing, art, and picture books—and how to find the best version of you, and amplify your potential, to make your best, most authentic work. We talk about adults lose that creative spark (and how they can get it back), the agents she’s worked with who were (and were not) a fit, and the walls adults put up emotionally—and how to bring them down again. Liz says: Whether writing and illustrating for children or brainstorming new product conce...
Apr 20, 2022•19 min
We are so happy to welcome Savannah Brooks, agent at Jennifer DiChiara Literary Agency, to the podcast! In this episode, we discuss what’s normal to ask your agent, how is the industry becoming more transparent—and what happens after a book doesn’t sell. We also discuss the odds of selling books at agent stage, working on books that are personal for us, and self-publishing in new and creative ways. Savannah Brooks joined the Jennifer De Chiara team in 2018 as an associate literary agent after in...
Apr 15, 2022•34 min
We are so happy to welcome Mary Murchie, the Manuscript academy’s Minister of Happiness! Mary has an unusual, amazing talent: she can make anyone feel better just by calling them up. Knowing that writing requires you to take a whole-person approach—if you aren’t feeling right, often your work will come out strangely—we have her on staff as our Minister of Happiness to call our members and pep them up. In this episode, we go over common things writers say when Mary calls, trends in the writing co...
Apr 06, 2022•21 min
We loved talking with Mary Cummings about so many things—how slush piles looked in the days of paper, how the submission process is like Miracle on 34th Street (and often as divisive as pineapple on pizza), and—more extensively—what you should ask an agent, when given the chance. Tune in also for mentions of opera, Slush Cats, Editorial Boards, and more. * “Great River Literary" was the clear name choice for the new agency established by Mary Cummings in 2021, after thirteen years as an agent fo...
Mar 29, 2022•22 min
Karen Joy Fowler didn’t want to write a novel. But an editor had asked her to lunch. She should take the meeting to be polite, she thought. She’d just end the lunch with a “No, thank you, I don’t want to write a book,” and that would be that. Instead, she ended up agreeing to a multi-book deal and launching a thriving career of award-winners and bestsellers, including The Jane Austen Book Club, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and, her most recent, Booth. All because she said yes to lunch....
Mar 22, 2022•26 min
Hello friends! Today we have, well, the biggest interview we’ve ever hosted, focused on one of the funniest, friendliest, and most creative writing groups we’ve ever met. If you’ve ever wondered how to find a community and keep it, this episode is for you. Of the 20+ members of the group, we had a wonderful set of volunteers here to tell us how they found each other, how they maintain a positive and supportive environment, and their many successes along the way. We are thankful to the following ...
Mar 16, 2022•26 min
We are so excited to share this hopeful, uplifting story that's the perfect example of good things happening for good people. Ambika had sent out more than 150 queries--getting mostly form rejections and ghosts--when she learned how to pivot, met her agent--and now has a deal with a major publishing house. Ambika Vora was born in Mumbai, India, but has lived in several cities - including Dallas, London, and Tokyo. After receiving her Bachelor’s from Princeton University and her Master’s from the...
Mar 01, 2022•29 min
We are so happy to share this recording of our live event, Dating Your Character. Your fellow writers came up with wonderful things in the text chat, which you’ll hear us read throughout the evening. Prefer to watch? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/dating-your-character Writing doesn't have to strictly be a serious, intellectual exercise. You can reap rewards by approaching your work in an experimental frame of mind. Our way of developing an intimacy with your character is through the awkw...
Feb 17, 2022•50 min
We are so thrilled to talk with Monica Hall and her agent, Kat Kerr! We met Monica for the first time when, during one of our live events, she shared her agent news—and we just had to hear the full story. From drafting legislation to writing a full manuscript, she’s here to share everything she learned along the way. If you, personally, aren’t affected by student loans, you definitely know someone who is. Monica is the hero trying to make their repayment terms a little fairer. We love this happy...
Feb 08, 2022•28 min
We are so happy to welcome Carina Licón to the podcast! She’s one of the rare publishing experts who joined her house (Macmillan, in this case) during the pandemic—and can share with us her unique perspective in making it work from afar. (Do we hope to take her out to lunch on her first NYC visit? Yes!) We loved hearing about her pitching works to Acquisitions, how she’s managed to build a robust network for herself—and what she’s looking for in her inbox. Carina Licón is an Editorial Assistant ...
Feb 02, 2022•23 min
Are you worried about your future author interviews? Stressed because you don’t know how to dodge questions like a politician? Worried your interviewer is going in with an agenda—and a list of questions that’ll make you squirm? This is the episode for you. Radio host, author, and wise human being March Twisdale is here to show you how to keep your press on the topics *you* want—all while feeling comfortable and connecting as your authentic self. March Twisdale’s work is centered around the belie...
Jan 25, 2022•34 min
We are so happy to speak with Kerri Maher, author of The Paris Bookseller. Based on the life of Sylvia Beach—bookseller, publisher and entrepreneur—this novel brings 1920s Paris to life in the most gorgeous, delicious ways. If you’ve been looking for a work that’s both escapist (the food! The love story! The writers!!) and will also feel like (easy, fun) learning, this is the book for you. Fans of Joyce, Stein, Pound, Hemingway, and (many!) more will be pleased to see these familiar faces come t...
Jan 18, 2022•27 min
Friends! We are so happy to have the amazing, warm, wise Rita Rosenkranz on our podcast. Not only is she a pillar of the industry, but she’s thoughtful, kind, and here to help YOU make the most of your publishing interactions. We love hearing her reflections on publishing innovations, new challenges, sustaining friendships—and what it all means for YOUR work, now. A well-established agent, who began her career as an editor at major publishing houses, Rita Rosenkranz represents almost exclusively...
Jan 05, 2022•47 min
That's right! We're going to try to take our own advice...and take a week off to creatively charge. We hope you do the same, and that you have a fun, safe holiday break. See you in 2022! Jessica, Julie & Valentina
Dec 21, 2021•3 min
Oh my goodness. We LOVE this episode with Sophie Cousens! She and her work are SO much fun—gorgeous settings, fun meet cures, quirky characters—and the escapism you need NOW. We talk about how she moved from YA sci-fi to (adult!) romantic comedies, losing confidence in your work at the 30,000 word mark—and how it’s often harder to write the books that are easy to read. Plus, we discuss planting Easter eggs while pantsing, adding lots of nuance to rom coms—-and how limited time is, actually, your...
Nov 30, 2021•32 min
Join us for a free, live book-to-film event with producers Kim Williams, Edwin Stepp, and Jonathan Burkhart on Thursday, December 2, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT (introvert-friendly! We won't be able to see you). Get your FREE ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/book-to-film Want to meet a Hollywood producer, director or showrunner? Consult with them about your logline and pages here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/meet-hollywood-producers We had a wonderful event with producers Eric Mofford and Kei...
Nov 26, 2021•52 min
Content warning: Adult themes, childhood illness. We’ve never seen an author-agent relationship like this! Jonathan and Renee not only joke, but regularly roast each other—showing a level of comfort most can only dream of. We learn about their journey, from meet-cute (which Renee nearly forgot) to Jonathan playing hard to get (even though she was his top choice), and how they both liked that the other would fight for the work. They both needed a creative partner who’d tell it like it is—and, as ...
Nov 09, 2021•32 min
Join us Wednesday, October 27, 8pm ET / 5pm PT, for a FREE panel with book-to-film producers Eric Mofford, Marilyn Atlas, and Keith L. Shaw. Get your free ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/live-pitch-workshop. Replay available at the same link, starting at 10pm ET. We are thrilled to have Book-To-Film producer Eric Mofford join us to answer all of our questions about elevator pitches, his favorite loglines—and why describing your work quickly is useful even if you never want to see your...
Oct 22, 2021•20 min
We loved this book! If you’re also a fan of Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, and books both spooky and pretty, Lana’s newest work, Payback’s A Witch, is a beautiful, fun, sexy rom com for your October. We discuss how to know when you’ve written *just* enough description (and the fact that many readers don’t want to smell characters), writing villains we can’t stand (who are just charming enough to be believable), and the creation of a magical system (which is somehow, at once, beautiful, believable...
Oct 20, 2021•27 min
