November 19, 2018
- in Queries, agent, writing advice
Making yourself write - aren't you supposed to WANT to?
Also covered - Top 5 Mistakes When You're New To Querying and Submitting.
November 5, 2018
Welcome to November and National Novel Writing Month. Today I'm talking about how a program like Nano can be motivating, and how to write from your gut and worry less about craft.
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Synchro Boy by Shannon McFerran
Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss
October 29, 2018
- in roundup
A roundup of the guests and topics for the month of October, as well as considering a question from a listener about writing in English when it's not the author's native language.
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How Do Bilingual Authors Choose to Write Their Stories? by Katya de Becerra
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Paper Hearts Writer's Workbook by Beth Revis
October 22, 2018
- in Critique Partners, mg, reading, teaching
Today’s guest is Tara Gilboy who holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in writing for children and young adults. Her middle grade novel, Unwritten, was published by Jolly Fish Press just this month. She teaches creative writing in San Diego Community College’s Continuing Education Program and for the PEN Writers in Prisons Program.
Tara joined me today to talk about selling her book without an agent, and how to process criticism from critique partners. Also Covered: exercises to help you capture middle grade voice, and how to find critique partners both online and in real life. And, can writing be taught or is it intuitive?
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October 15, 2018
- in LBGTQ, agent, mental illness, rejection
Today’s guest is S Gonzales who writes Young Adult contemporary books with twisty plots and a generous dose of romance, featuring witty yet vulnerable characters. She joined me today to talk about landing her agent, Twitter contests, and balancing time difference while living in Australia and interacting with her American audience and publishing contacts. Also covered: Why publish with an initial standing in for her first name? Writing about mental illnesses responsibly and rom coms for queer people.
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October 8, 2018
- in research, agent, historical
Today’s guest is Sandra Gulland is an American-born Canadian novelist. She is the author of The Shadow Queen and Mistress of the Sun, novels set in the court of Louis XIV, The Sun King, and a trilogy of novels based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte: as well as The Game of Hope. A YA historical about Josephine’s daughter.
Sandra joined me today to talk about how publishing has changed over time, the differences in the Canadian publishing world vs. the American, and researching for historical novels. Also covered: assigning personalities to people that actually existed, sexism in researching female historical characters, and how to know when to bend the facts in order to keep your fiction interesting.
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What they don’t know by Nicole Maggi
October 1, 2018
- in research, agent, historical, self-editing, genre
Today’s guest is Katherine Locke, author of THE GIRL WITH THE RED BALLOON and the upcoming THE SPY WITH THE RED BALLOON.Katherine joined me today to talk about landing her agent, and how her process of drafting ignores the need to be perfect, putting that responsibility on the editing process. Also covered: data for writers – and why we might not want it anyway – and how Katherine approaches historical facts while working with fiction, plus her process of research while writing.
Links for Katherine:
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What They Don’t Know by Nicole Maggi
September 24, 2018
A roundup of this month's guests and topics, as well as my advice on how to grit your teeth and get the first draft down.
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It’s a Wonderful Death By Sarah J. Schmitt
September 22, 2018
- in editor
Today’s guest is Olivia Valcarce an assistant editor at Scholastic.
Olivia joined me today to talk about how different houses function within the publishing industry, what “commercial” means, and the benefits of working with a more junior editor.
To hear the entire episode in October support the podcast through Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/MindyMcGinnis to learn more.
September 22, 2018
- in agent
The guest for the October 1st agent episode is Melissa Edwards of Stonesong Literary. Melissa joined me today to talk about how her background in litigation helped prepare her for agenting, as well as providing the foundation for her private business, MLE Consulting. Also covered: differences between the adult and children’s publishing worlds, what “timeless” Middle Grade feels like and the benefits of working with an agent vs. going on your own.
To hear the entire episode in October support the podcast through Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/MindyMcGinnis to learn more.
