Tina’s Comments (group member since Apr 22, 2011)

Tina’s comments from the Help For Writers group.

Hi Will:
It shouldn't cost you anything to submit to literary agents. And a legitimate one should not charge you anything, other than for postage, if they are sending printed copies of your manuscript. Most agents and publishers will accept electronic submissions these days.

If you are getting rejection after rejection, then maybe it's time to look at your material. If it is riddled with grammar errors and poor writing it will get rejected. Does it start out with a bang? Is it the right word count for the types of genres they handle? Many publishers have a strict word count for the type of genre they handle and anything outside that range will be rejected.

Is your writing filled with passive writing and telling, rather than active verbs and showing? Are you trying to break too many rules? As a new or unknown writer it is better to stick to the basic rules of writing at least until you have a couple of books under your belt, then you can break the rules.

Does your opening scene start off with a bang? Pull the reader in? Create tension? This is what agents and acquiring editors look for in good writing.

It really helps to join a critique group with other writers who write in similar genres. They can help you to see what you may need work on.

I'm always willing to take a look at the first two pages of (double-spaced) a manuscript to see what I'd look for in a good book. Feel free to contact me if this would help. But as Alexandra says, having some beta readers really helps in spotting problem areas.

Tina Foster
www.amazon.com/author/fostertina

Never heard of that site. If they don't charge a fee, how do they make their money? Be careful that you're not giving away your work for free. Every author should take into consideration the time they spend on their writing. Also, the quality of their work. It should be worth something. Even if it's short.

Best of luck.

Tina Foster
www.amazon.com/author/fostertina

Hi Joseph:

As you said, the piece is too long for most magazines, and too short to work into a novel, so most likely you would have to self-publish.

However, most places, like Kindle, which I'm most familiar with, you have to name a price. The buyer can't just "pay what you feel". For a work of that length, I'd maybe offer it for $2.99. That seems reasonable for the length. You can go as high as $3.99 but I wouldn't offer it for more than that. You could start with $1.99 and go up, after a few reviews come in.

If you plan to make it into a print version, then you would have to adjust the cost to take in the expense of paper, binding and print costs. Most have a minimum that you can charge to cover their costs, then add what you feel the reader would be willing to pay. It may depend on the genre of your work.

I hope this helps a bit.

Best wishes in your writing endeavors.

Tina Foster
Author of five books on the craft on writing,
Two fiction books, "Flirting With Danger" and "Trails of Deception."
www.amazon.com/author/fostertina

Thanks, that makes it a bit clearer.

My newest fiction book is now available:

Trails of Deception
by Tina Foster

Western/Historical/Romance/Mystery

Things are not always as they seem.

Rachel Warren escapes an abusive headmaster at a boarding school in San Francisco.

The mysterious stranger, Tyler Burton, who helps her on the way home to her Colorado homestead, appears to be on the run. Could he be a gunslinger?

Rachel's parents' deaths from a wagon accident turns out to be murder. Why would anyone want them dead?

Someone tries to kill her brother, Daniel, as well. Will Rachel be next?

Who is trying to force Rachel and her brother off their land? And why?

No, things aren't always as they seem, in Trails of Deception.

Tina Foster spent 15 years as a literary agent. Now retired, she is concentrating on her own writing.

Trails of Deception is her second fiction book. Look for her first novel, Flirting With Danger, a contemporary suspense. She also has published five books on the craft of writing.

To "take a peek inside" this book or any of her other books, visit her author page and click on the cover, at: http://www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.

Website: http://www.tinafosterauthor.com.

Happy reading to you all!

For all the writers who have gotten discouraged by rejections from publishers and literary agents and decided to self-publish, this book is for you.

FORMATTING SELF-PUBLISHED PRINT BOOKS
FOR WRITERS WHO WANT TO SELF-PUBLISH
by Tina Foster

This is an introductory into formatting and designing a print version of your book for self-publishing or print-on-demand. To show how you can design a nice looking book without a lot of experience or special software. All you need is Microsoft Word. It covers the basics, step by step, of formatting your book and getting it ready for print.

Tina Foster is the author of four other books on the craft of writing, and two fiction books, so far. After 15 years as a literary agent, she is now retired and concentrating on her own writing.

To take a peek inside of this book, or any of her other books, visit her author page and click on the cover, at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.

Website: http://www.tinafosterauthor.com.

Sorry, I don't know anything about them. Have you looked them up on line? Do they have a contact email address? If they are a vanity press, where you pay them, then I'd stay away. If you want to publish it yourself, your best bet is to go with Create space on Amazon. Or Kindle. Both are free. Publishing is changing. More and more authors are self-publishing these days. But it helps to have your work edited first.

Tina Foster
Author of four books on writing and one fiction.
http://www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.
http://www.tinafosterauthor.com.

My book, "How to Write an Effective Query Letter" is now in print format, as well as eBook format for Kindle.

Tells how to approach acquiring editors at a publishing house and literary agents when seeking representation. There are dos and don'ts that editors and agents look for when vying for their interest in your project. Learn the best ways to approach them, and what turns them off.

Also includes how to write a working synopsis. What information to include in your query letter, and what to leave out. Also, the best way to pitch your book if you have a face to face meeting.

A must read for any writer who is wanting to interest an acquiring editor at a traditional publishers, or a literary agent when seeking representation.

Tina Foster
Author of four books on the craft of writing
and one fiction.

Visit my author page at: http://amazon.com/author/fostertina.
Click the cover to peek inside.

For more information, visit my author web site:
http://www.tinafosterauthor.com.

Or my blog: http://www.tinafosterspageturner.blog....

Good luck to all you fellow writers.

The print version is now available for "Flirting With Danger" through amazon.com.
ISBN-13:978-1482508338
Title ID: 4166961
To sample the first three chapters, visit my author page at: www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.
My web site is: www.tinafosterauthor.com.
Also: www.FosterLiteraryAgency.com.

I'm working at getting a blog up and running soon. It takes time to do all these things. If anyone has read my book, I would appreciate a review on amazon.

Best of luck to all my writer friends.

After spending 15 years as a literary agent, and now semi-retired, I have been concentrating on my own writing. FLIRTING WITH DANGER is my first fiction novel.

I also have four books published on the craft of writing.

FLIRTING WITH DANGER, by Tina Foster, is a suspense, thriller, with romantic undertones, filled with action and tension.

Witness to a murder . . .
Stalked by the killers . . .
Who will save her?

When Amanda Lewis goes to meet a date, she finds him murdered, and sees the faces of the killers. Now they want to eliminate her as well.

Steven Walker is a Special Agent with the Oregon State Criminal Investigation Bureau and is there to meet a snitch. He and Amanda collide. Now they both have to evade the killers if they want to live long enough to testify.

Both police and the killers are looking for a stolen "list" that contains evidence that will crack the case. It also contains the identity of the mysterious head of the drug organization that Steve has been investigating.

Can Steve and Amanda find the stolen "list" before the killers get to it first? How can they stay one step ahead of the killers when it appears someone on the inside of the Investigation Bureau is giving the bad guys information as to where Steve and Amanda are hiding?

Lovers of suspense, thrillers, romance, action, and crime fiction will enjoy this book.

The Kindle version is available now to sample the first four chapters, or to purchase.

Go to: www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.

The print version will be available in a couple of weeks. It is going through the proof-reading process right now. ISBN-13: 978-1482508338.

Also check out my four books on writing as well:
"Ten Reasons Why Editors and Agents Stop Reading."
"Formatting Manuscripts."
"A Hand Book For Writers." (Plotting and Characters plus dos and don'ts)
"How to Write an Effective Query Letter."

You can sample each of these on my author page.

Tina Foster,
retired literary agent, author of four books on writing, has published her four books on Kindle. Save money on postage, printing and binding costs.

"Ten Reasons Why Editors and Agents Stop Reading"

Learn the most common mistakes writers can make which can cause an acquiring editor at a publishing house, or and literary agent, to stop reading your manuscript and pick up someone else's.

"Formatting Manuscripts"

One of the first reasons for rejection by an acquiring editor and a literary agent, is improper formatting. They see the physical look of your manuscript as soon as they take it out of the package (or read it on-line), before they read one word of your story. Proper formatting separates the professional writer from the amateur. Yes, there is an industry standard which editors and agents expect writers to know before they submit their manuscript for perusal.

"A Hand Book For Writers"

Amateur writers often have pages filed with common mistakes that tell the editor at a publishing house, or an agent, that they have not honed their writing skills, and their manuscript usually lacks polishing. The truth is, you get 1 to 5 pages to hook that editor or agent into your story. You may have the most wonderful story, but if your manuscript is riddled with common mistakes and amateurish writing, they won't read enough of it to find out if it is good or not. Learn what things to avoid in your writing, that TURN-OFF editors and agents. Learn the many dos and don'ts that editors and agents look for in great writing.

"How to Write an Effective Query Letter"

There are dos and don'ts that editors and agents look for when vying for their interest in your project. Learn the best ways to approch them, and what turns them off. Also, how to write a working synopsis. And how to package your material. Yes, there are dos and don'ts for this as well.

All these books are available on
www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.
For print versions, visit my website:
www.fosterliteraryagency.com. Click on Help for Writers.

I left my comments below your story.

Best of luck in your writing endeavors.

For starting a story, it helps to start with an outline of the story or plot.

Ask yourself, What does this character want? What is his goal in life? Why can't he have what he wants? This creates conflict. What does he have to do to get it? This creates drama.

What other obstacles are in his way, that keep him from achieving his goal? the stakes should gradually get higher. This creates tension and keeps the reader reading.

Does he finally get what he wants in the end? If not, why not?

If you ask these questions for each of your main characters, and maybe a couple of secondary characters, then you have the basis for an outline. Check for holes in your plot. Once you have a basic direction, then you start fleshing out those scenes and set the stage for your characters to move about.

Keep in mind, nothing is written in stone. Sometimes things change and your characters take off in different directions than you first intended. But you have to make sure their motivation for what they do is believeable to the reader.

I hope this helps.

Tina Foster
Author of four books on writing.
www.amazon.com/author/fostertina.

I can't read the entire thing,(I have lots of other work to do), but maybe the opening scene. Where is it posted? You need to include the link.

Best of luck in your writing endeavors.

Katie wrote: "Hello Tina,

My name is Katie, and I have nearly completed my first book of four from my series of the Sins of Virtue.

It is a YA fiction and I'm unsure whether it's your cup of tea, if not then p..."

Katie wrote: "Hello Tina,

My name is Katie, and I have nearly completed my first book of four from my series of the Sins of Virtue.

It is a YA fiction and I'm unsure whether it's your cup of tea, if not then p..."
Hi Katie:

I glanced at what you had, but I had a hard time understanding what you were trying to say. It wasn't clear to me. I don't read much fantasy, so I may not be the best one to critique this. But if your opening was unclear to me, it may not be to other readers as well.

The opening page is very important, because that has to hook your reader into your story. So, your opening line should start with a bang.

If I had to choose, I think you should start with someone in her kitchen. That pulled me in right there. Leave off the other stuff before it. Then have her think, am I really seeing this or did I forget to take my pills. This is clear and pulled me in.

Then give us the setting (briefly), the time frame (day or night), and tell us whose head we are in (find a way to tell the reader her/his name) I didn't know if the narrator is a girl or boy. So you need to clue the reader in as soon as possible, in the first paragraph. Weave this information in with the action. Don't have a large chunk of information that interrupts the action. Then get back to what is happening.

I don't know if this is helpful or not.
Hopefully, someone will give you more advice.

Tina Foster
Author of four books on writing:
"Ten Reasons Why Editors and Agents Stop Reading."
"Formatting Manuscripts."
"A Hand Book For Writers."
"How to Write an Effective Query Letter."

Sarah wrote: "Hi Tina

Where is the book available? I have a favour to ask would you be willing to edit a collection of short stories for a group of us? We are doing the book for a childrens charity for Chris..."

Hi: Right now they are available for Kindle. Go to:
www.amazon.com/author/fostertina. This will take you to my author page where you can sample my books. Or for the print version, through my website at: www.FosterLiteraryAgency.com. Click on Help for Writers.

As for your question, how many stories does this involve? I don't mind doing a few, for free, for the charity, but if it involves too many, it might tie me up, making it hard to work on my other business stuff. Give me a little more information.

I'm involved in editing a book for a friend about her near death experience. Very fascinating subject. And what she learned while on the Other Side.

Thanks, Tina Foster

I recently uploaded my series of books on writing for Kindle and they are now available. I taught fiction writing for 10 years and put the subjects finally into eBook format. I'm still working on getting covers for them, but they should be ready for Kindle downloading now.

Look for:

"Ten Reasons Why Editors and Agents Stop Reading."

Learn the ten most common mistakes writers make which can cause an acquiring editor at a publishing house, or a literary agent, to stop reading your manuscript and pick up someone else's.

"Formatting Manuscripts."

An improperly formatted manuscript is most often the FIRST reason for rejection by many acquiring editors, as well as literary agents. They see the physical look of your manuscript as soon as they take it out of the package, BEFORE they even read one word of your story. If they see common beginning writer mistakes, it will go back into the package un-read. Yes, there is an industry standard which editors and agents expect writers to know before they submit their manuscript for perusal.

"A Hand Book For Writers." Includes plotting and characters, plus other writing dos and don'ts.

There is much more to writing than just putting words down on the page. Amateur writers often have pages filled with common mistakes that tell an editor or agent they have not honed their skills, and their manuscript usually lacks polishing. You may have the most wonderful story, but if it is riddled with common mistakes, they will never read enough of it to find out if it is good or not.

Learn what things to AVOID in your writing that TURN OFF editors and agents. Learn the many dos and don'ts that editors and agents look for in great writing.

"How to Write an Effective Query Letter." Plus other advice on approching editors and agents and how to package your manuscript for submission.

Think of the query as your sales brochure when approaching an acquiring editor at a publishing house, or a literary agent when seeking representation. There are dos and don'ts that editors and agents look for when vying for their interest in your project. Learn the best ways to apporach them, and what turns them off.

I have to note here that I was somewhat disappointed in how the "Formatting Manuscripts" looked when converted in eBook format. It did away with examples of the different types of fonts and converted them to all the same font, and also did away with the double-spacing examples. But I tried to make it as clear as possible in the text on how to format a manuscript, even though you can't really see the differences physically in eBook format. But it should be just as instructional. It's just one of those types of books that doesn't translate well to an eBook format. But it does give clear instructions, you just can't SEE the examples that were in the original print version.

The rest of the books turned out well. A little flaw here and there in formatting, but they read okay.

That's true. I have to go over every line I write just to double check. I tend to invert letters, or hit the key next to the one I wanted, so that "so" becomes "do" and "from" becomes "form." Things like that. I usually wait a few days to get some distance from my manuscript, then go back through it. It is amazing what I find in the way of errors, awkward sentences, generic verbs, etc. That's when I can usually pick up these errors. When I think I have it perfect, I take a chapter to my critique group and they pick it apart.

After another re-write, I take it back. When it gets to the point where they have no real major comments, I go on to the next one. But all the chapters have to intertwine and make sense to the reader.

For an unknown or new writer, it is best to have your manuscript finished, error-free, honed and polished. They need to know if you can WRITE a quality story first before they commit to you. They will seldom take on a project just on speculation if they aren't sure you can write a well-written novel. So, you have to convince them you can write a great novel first.

The only ones who can get away with just pitching a story first are those who have published a few books and can meet a deadline with a honed and polished manuscript. For the unpublished, or unknown writer you have to show you can write a puplishable quality story first.

So, my advice is to finish your project first, make sure it is honed and polished, your best work. Then after it is finished, you pitch it to agents or editors.

The problem with not finishing a work, is that if the agent likes the first few chapters and says send me the full manuscript, the tendency is to hurry and finish it. This may cause it to not be your best work, and not as polished as it should be. Then because you have sent them a rough draft, it will most likely get rejected. Remember, it is NOT the agent's job to fix your mistakes. Nor is it the editor's job either. Editor in this case is a Title, as in acquisitions, or decision maker. (Like the editor of a newspaper, who decides if a certain story goes into print) If you send them a less than polished draft, they will reject it. NO matter how wonderful your story is, if you send them a manuscript that is not honed and polished, they will not read enough of it to find out if it is good or not.

As you know, there is much more to writing than just putting words down on the page. The REAL writing comes in the stages after you've finished the first draft. When you do revisions, edits and re-writes. That's actually where the real writing takes place.

And every experienced writer knows that it can take a dozen or more drafts to get a manuscirpt polished enough to send out.

I hope this helps.