Read Time: 2 minutes

​
​Writers who aspire to traditional publication have multiple options, but the most time-tested—and the route that many writers take—is pursuing representation by a literary agent.

​If you’ve chosen this path, you are likely familiar with much of the internet’s advice on writing query letters. As a professional editor who specializes in queries, and a represented author, I’m here to offer you a bit more advice. But instead of talking about what to include in your query letter, this post will cover five common issues in queries.

Professional editing is crucial for self-publishing authors. But what type of editing do you need? How do you choose the perfect editor for your work? Let’s discuss the ins and outs of hiring a professional editor as an independent author.

Each year, the editors at Revise & Resub host a #10Queries event. Writers enter to win feedback on their query and first five pages.

On the day of the event, the editors post feedback on Twitter, using the hashtags #RevPit and #10Queries.

This is of course useful for the winners, but it's also beneficial for the entire writing community. Since many writers make similar mistakes when writing query letters, writers can typically find some useful feedback in the #10Queries tweets, even if their particular work was not analyzed.

In that vein, I've compiled my feedback from the 2020 event. I hope you find some words of wisdom to guide you through the query trenches.

Read Time: 10 minutes

Anyone who has been involved in publishing during the last decade is aware that self-publishing has entirely changed the landscape of the industry. But for writers who are learning how to publish a book for the first time, the self-publishing process can be more than a little overwhelming. In this guide, we're going to break down the benefits of self-publishing and the simple steps you can take to achieve your publishing goals.

​January 26 is an emotional day for me. Though today I have four years of distance from the event, I suspect this day will always feel turbulent. It’s a reminder of so many things for me, but one that rises to the top is that my personal world could be demolished in an instant. Of course, that goes for all of us.

​When we're discussing success on social media—specifically Twitter—the first question people ask is, "How many followers do you have?" And although having a ton of followers can make you feel successful and valued within your community, it is not an accurate measure of success on the platform. So what is?
​

My friends, I have a new favorite tool. It's called SaneBox, and it's right up there with Social Jukebox on my list of tools that help me keep my life together.

This app is amazing, and it is so simple. I honestly can't believe I haven't been using it for years. This is going to be a short post, just to let you know this exists—because I wish someone had told me.

You may or may not have heard of decision fatigue, but you have no doubt felt it. Decision fatigue refers to the exhaustion we feel after making so many large and small decisions over the course of the day.

Those in positions which involve more decision-making are of course more prone to this phenomenon. A 2011 study found that judges were likely to deliver harsher rulings later in the day. 

​But decision fatigue impacts everyone. Think about how many decisions you make every day. What to wear, what to eat for breakfast, how you want your coffee, whether to stop for gas, how to greet your coworkers, which task to start first, what language to use in an email... The list goes on.
​

The narrator is one of the least utilized storytelling tools. A strong, unique narrator can add another layer of depth to your story. Let's talk about types of narrators and how to craft yours.

Whether you've completed your first novel-length draft or your twentieth, penning those final words is a rush. You've dedicated an incredible amount of time and energy to your manuscript, and finally reaching the end of the story can be emotional and amazing. But it can leave you asking a simple question:

What now?

Let's review a few simple steps every writer should take after completing a draft.