Mom Writes Podcast

We had a really great question come in from my friend and fellow writer, Mindy. She wanted to know about “the nudge.” She wanted to know when it was okay to nudge an agent who has your manuscript.

(Side note, Mindy has been working her butt off querying agents while writing her second book. She’s had quite a bit of action on her query, which is super...

This is not a full episode. This is an invitation. I’ve decided (very spontaneously, mind you) to do something a wee bit different this week. As some of you may know, PitMad is on Thursday.
 
PitMad is a Twitter pitching contest.

Now, as some of you may also know, I’ve sworn I will never participate in a Twitter pitching contest. M...

My first rejection is in the bag!

Actually, my first two.

Jennie made me promise to screen record opening my first response from an agent. So this episode starts with me (actually) opening and reading my first rejection and Jennie’s response to it.

The theme of today’s episode is don’t take it person...

Today Jennie and I talk about the toxic “Pick Me!” attitude that many writers have towards querying. We look at the different types of energy we as writers bring to the pitching process, and how feelings of desperation hurt more than help.

As I look to continue to query, I know I need to personalize each one for the agent it’s being sent to. Seems easy, right? You just take out Dear Mrs. X and replace it with...

This episode actually made me feel a zillion times better about querying, and it gave me some patience with the process.

It’s really no surprise that after only a single week (we’re talking not even seven full days) I’ve heard nothing from the one (ONE!) agent that I exclusively queried. It’s very easy to take this personally. But should you? I mean, you sent her (or him!) this thing— your thing!—that took you y...

Hip hip hooray! Today we invite you to join us as we press send on my (Abby’s) first (and exclusive) pitch.

There’s not much to sum up today, except to say that Mel makes her first appearance in Season 3! She comes to give us an update on where she’s at with her book and to support me while I make the big leap.

The three of us catch up and share all the feels as I read my query letter, and in the excitem...

In this episode, we review the overall pitching process.

Here's a run-down if you've missed it:

Get your manuscript in "good enough" shape to pitch. Remember, there's still more work to be done once you get picked up!

Make sure your query is stellar. (No pressure, right?!)

Write short personalizations for each agent on your short-list.

Double-check each of those age...

It's the Query Letter Episode!!!

I have written my query letter no less than 45 times (and it feels like 45 ka-zillion times). Some passes over my query letter have involved big, sweeping changes. Others have been small tweaks, looking to do things like cut an overabundance of adjectives. But every change brought me closer and closer to what Jennie has deemed a query that is "KILLER GOOD."

The firs...

When you finally choose an agent to pitch (or 20 or 30), what do you do? I'm interested in sending out a series of exclusives. It's a weird strategy, and it might not work. (As a matter of fact, I might scrap the whole thing after this first round. You never know!) But for whatever reason, this is where my gut is telling me to start.

In this episode, we discuss the one cardinal rule in pitching agents: FOLLOW...

Today we have (surprise!) more talk about agents. What if you're pitching an agent, but you are open to eventually dipping your toes in self-publishing or hybrid publishing? Or changing genres? Or co-writing?

Jennie says, "And when you get to a conversation with an agent, these are things you might want to say: I have a million ideas! I might want to do a collaboration with someone. I might wa...

Today Jennie breaks down agents and strategy in all kinds of different ways.

First, she talks about agents and what they strategically do for your career (and what they don't). Agents aren't going to say to you, "Llamas are hot right now! Bring me a book featuring llamas!" (Llama just say, I thought this was kind of how it worked.)

All agents work differently and have different personalities and st...

I know how some of us are feeling. We've worked hard (possibly for years) on a book, and when it comes time to pitch it, there is a worldwide pandemic.

So what do we do? Do we change our stories to reflect the new "normal?" Do we hold off pitching agents? Are agents still working? Are they taking writers?

Do any of these things even matter?

Today Jennie and I talk about how the pandemic ...

Today we talk about what to expect when you’re pitching agents. From what to do with your documents to how to keep track of agents, Jennie lays out all the things you need to consider when starting the pitching process.

(And I have one word for you, folks: spreadsheets.)

I also fret because my top, wish-listed agents represent some pretty big names. But Jennie has some good advice for me there, too...

Season Three of Mom Writes is all about pitching your completed manuscript to agents! Book coach Jennie Nash walks me, Abby Mathews, through the process of pitching my middle grades novel in hopes of finding an agent, and in turn, a publisher.

But let’s start at the beginning. The first eight episodes are dedicated to preparing your pitch and your agent query.

Today, Jennie talks about the number o...

Hi, everyone! We have a Mom Writes season 3 update.

One important announcement I have is that Mom Writes is moving! You will no longer find our current show notes on the Author Accelerator website. Seasons 1 and 2 still live on the Author Accelerator site, so all our old show notes are there. But anything new from this point forward will be…here! On my website www.AbbyMathews.org.

A...