Chuck Sambuchino

About Chuck Sambuchino

Chuck Sambuchino is a freelance editor of query letters, synopses, book proposals, and manuscripts. As an editor for Writer's Digest Books, he edits the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and the CHILDREN'S WRITER'S & ILLUSTRATOR'S MARKET. His Guide to Literary Agents Blog is one of the largest blogs in publishing. His own books include the bestselling humor book, HOW TO SURVIVE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK, which was optioned by Sony Pictures, as well as the writing guide, CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM. Connect with Chuck on Twitter or at his website.

Literary Terms Defined: The Uncommon and Common

July 22, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

GIVEAWAY: I am very excited to again give away a free book to a random commenter. The winner can choose either CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM or the 2013 GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS. Commenters must live in the US/Canada; comment within one week to win. Good luck!

UPDATE: Kim won. Thanks for all who participated.

Working for Writer’s Digest Books, I come across a lot of literary terms — both the common and uncommon. Because it’s healthy for writers of all levels to be familiar with terms they may come across in articles, conversations and contracts, here are some literary terms defined for your enjoyment.

Boiler plate contract (also know as a “standard contract”) – (n.) This term usually refers to an agreed starting contract between a literary agent and publisher. If Agent X sells a book to Putnam, for example, their next deal with Putnam will likely have the same royalty rates and subright splits as the first deal.

Denouement – (n.) French for an untying. The denouement of a novel or story follows the climax; it represents the unraveling pf the complexities of a plot, and the clarifying of the story’s details and misunderstandings.

Galley – (n.) A bound version of just the text of the book (or article, if writing for magazines). There is little to no illustration and the cover is a solid color with release data printed on the cover. Used for the same purposes as ARCs (advanced reader copies).

Kill fee – (n.) A fee paid to a writer who has worked on an assignment that, for some reason, is not published. For example, you’re contracted to write an article for a magazine and you turn it in. The article itself is satisfactory. But then the editor calls you and says they are changing the focus of the upcoming issue and they can’t use your article as part of the package anymore. They have no more need for it, so they pay you a kill fee (a percentage of the original promised price — usually 25–50%) and all rights to the article revert back to you. Your best bet is to try and sell it elsewhere.

Logline – (n.) A one-line summary of your story. For example: “A treasure hunter searches for a fabled artifact in the Himalayas.”

Narrative nonfiction – Nonfiction that uses the devices of fiction. You’re telling a true story, but using things such as character development, dialogue and cliffhangers. Think about it like the movie Apollo 13. The whole story is true, but it’s told in a dramatic fashion, like a fictional story would be. Oft-cited examples of narrative nonfiction include The Perfect Storm, Seabiscuit, In Cold Blood and The Right Stuff.

[Read more…]

8 Tips For Writing and Selling Articles to Magazines, Websites, and More

June 24, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

I’m a big proponent of article writing. I think nothing bad can come from writers trying to sell content to magazines, newspapers and websites. Think about it. Selling articles ups your credentials and credibility; it gives you something awesome to talk about in the Bio section of your query letters; it generates nice paychecks; it puts you in touch with media members who can help you later; it builds your writer platform and visibility, and more.

If you want to make more money writing and expand your writing horizons, think about penning short nonfiction pieces for outlets seeking good work. It’s a simple way to do some good for your writing career. Here are 8 tips to help you get started concerning how to write for magazines.

1. Seek out the publication’s writers’ guidelines. All publications have guidelines, which, simply put, are an explanation of how writers should contact the publication in consideration of writing for them. Writers’ guidelines usually address three key things: 1) what kind of pieces the publication is looking for (including length, tone, and subject matter), 2) how to submit your work for consideration (details on formatting and whether they accept e-mail or snail mail submissions), and 3) when and how they will respond to your request.

2. You do not have to write full articles before you sell them. Selling a nonfiction article is exactly like selling a nonfiction book—you sell the item based on the concept and a “business plan” for it. Here’s how it works: You compose a one-page query letter (typically submitted via e-mail) that details what the article/column will be about, as well as your credentials as an article writer. From that point, the publication, if interested, will contract you to write the article—and only at that point will you write it. writing an article when no one has agreed to buy it is called writing on speculation (“on spec”). You can do this if you feel you need to, but you risk losing time on a project that may never see a financial return. [Read more…]

What to Write in the “Bio” Section Of Your Query Letter

May 27, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

In my opinion, a good query letter is broken down into three parts – the quick intro, the pitch, and the bio. Strangely enough, the third section (the bio) often generates the most questions and uncertainty with writers. In fact, when I speak at writers’ conferences on the topic of how write a query letter, there are typically a ton of questions about this small paragraph. So with that in mind, I have tried to cobble together some notes on what to include and what not to include in a query letter at the end when you’re talking about yourself and your writing.

FICTION VS. NONFICTION

Before you read on, you need to realize that the bio section of a query letter is a completely different beast for fiction vs. nonfiction. If you’re writing nonfiction, the bio section is typically long, and of the utmost importance. This is where you list out all your credentials as well as the greatest hits of your writer platform. The importance of a nonfiction bio cannot be overstated. It has to be fat and awesome. Fiction bios, however, can be big or small or even not there at all. Most of the questions and notes I address below are discussing the murky waters of fiction query bios.

YES: INCLUDE THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR BIO

Mention prior traditionally published books. This is the top bio credit you could have — past traditionally published books. Always mention the title, year and publisher. Beyond that, you could quickly mention an award your previous book won, or some praise it received.
List any published short stories. If you got paid for them or they ended up in a respected journal, that is always a great thing to mention. It immediately proves you’ve got fiction writing cred.
Discuss self-published books that sold well. If you had past self-published books that sold well, feel free to quickly discuss them. Such discussion will show you already have a small (or big!) audience and know how to market. Concerning what number of sales is impressive, I would say you should sell at least 7,500 e-books before an agent will be impressed. Truthfully, the number thrown around at a recent conference was 20,000, but I believe that’s pretty high. (Note that your target number of book sales must represent true sales — not books downloaded when you gave them away for free as part of some kind of promotion.)
Tell if you’ve penned articles for money. Feel free to skip titles and just list publications. For example: “I’ve written articles for several magazines and newspapers, including the Cincinnati Enquirer and Louisville Magazine.” Brevity is appreciated here. The agent can inquire if they want more info. [Read more…]

What NOT to Do When Beginning Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents

April 22, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

In a previous Writer Unboxed column, I discussed the value of starting your story strong and how an “inside-out” approach to narrative action can help your case. But just as important as knowing what to do when beginning your novel is knowing what not to do.

No one reads more prospective novel beginnings than literary agents. They’re the ones on the front lines — sifting through inboxes and slush piles. And they’re the ones who can tell us which Chapter 1 approaches are overused and cliche, as well as which techniques just plain don’t work. Below find a smattering of feedback from experienced literary agents on what they hate to see the first pages of a writer’s submission. Avoid these problems and tighten your submission!

FALSE BEGINNINGS

“I don’t like it when the main character dies at the end of Chapter 1. Why did I just spend all this time with this character? I feel cheated.”
– Cricket Freeman, The August Agency

“I dislike opening scenes that you think are real, then the protagonist wakes up. It makes me feel cheated.”
– Laurie McLean, Foreword Literary

IN SCIENCE FICTION

“A sci-fi novel that spends the first two pages describing the strange landscape.”
– Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary

PROLOGUES

“I’m not a fan of prologues, preferring to find myself in the midst of a moving plot on page 1 rather than being kept outside of it, or eased into it.”
– Michelle Andelman, Regal Literary

“Most agents hate prologues. Just make the first chapter relevant and well written.”
– Andrea Brown, Andrea Brown Literary Agency

“Prologues are usually a lazy way to give back-story chunks to the reader and can be handled with more finesse throughout the story. Damn the prologue, full speed ahead!”
– Laurie McLean, Foreword Literary

[Read more…]

How to Write a Screenplay: 7 Starting Tips for Adapting Your Own Novel

March 25, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

GIVEAWAY: I am very excited to again give away a copy of my newest book, CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM. It’s a book all about how to build your visibility, brand, network and discoverability so you can better market yourself and your books. I’m giving away 1 copy to a random commenter based in the U.S. or Canada; comment within one week to win. Good luck! (Update: Louis won.)

Plenty of times, writers come up with an idea for a novel that could translate visually to film. The good news is that if you want to see your manuscript converted into a screenplay, there are two different routes that would make an adaptation possible.

Most books that get released by a major publisher or are repped by an established agency get passed to an agent who tries to drum up interest in film/TV rights for a project. This makes total sense. A writer creates a good story, so the obvious goal is to sell it through every means possible — be that print books, e-books, foreign rights translations, serial excerpts, audio books, and, yes, movies/TV. If your new book-to-film agent (usually brought onboard by your book agent) can generate adaptation interest from producers, your work gets bought/optioned by Hollywood, and you’re off and running. This exact thing happened to my humor book, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack. Sony optioned the book and hired a screenwriter to adapt the work.

But what if you want to see your work adapted into a screenplay, but are either indie-publishing it or the work hasn’t sold yet? The obvious option is to —

ADAPT IT YOURSELF: 7 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

You can always just take matters into your own hands and compose the script yourself on spec. But the truth is that writing a screenplay is a completely different monster than tackling a novel or memoir. If your finished product doesn’t fit the usual mold of what a screenplay should look like, then a producer or agent won’t even consider it, and your time was wasted. So with that in mind, I wanted to lay out several simple-yet-important tips on how to write a script for any persons considering adapting their own book into a screenplay. Keeping in mind there is still much more to learn beyond this post, here are 7 basic pieces of advice to get you started if the concept of scriptwriting is new to you.

1. Watch your length.

Just as books have typical word count ranges, screenplays have length requirements, too — and the recommended length for a beginner’s screenplay is 90-109 pages. Since each page represents one minute of screentime, that sets up your movie to be 90-109 minutes. Most writers go wrong in this arena by trending long.

2. Screenplays thrive on minimalism.

Always be thinking about how to cut, cut, cut. Screenplays rely on brevity. When characters have to say something, the best value you can provide is getting your point across in as few words of dialogue as possible. When you have to describe a scene or explain that a helicopter explodes, the quicker you can properly convey such information, the better you are. Give us information and dialogue in short, quick bursts. A lot of your novel will end up on the cutting room floor throughout the adaptation — and that’s OK. Plenty of a novel/memoir content does not translate well visually to the screen, so cutting out sections or characters or subplots actually will improve your final script. (If you’re not good at killing your darlings, perhaps screenwriting is not the best arena for you.)

[Read more…]

Query Letter FAQs (Part II): 10 More Questions Answered

February 25, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

Writers always seem to come up with great questions on how to write a query letter. In fact, I already did a roundup of query letter frequently asked questions here on Writer Unboxed. (See Roundup Part I here, and learn about tricky topics such as resubmitting to an agent, how to start your query, simultaneous submissions, and more.) But even though I already addressed those 9 FAQs, there are still plenty of murky waters out there in the realm of query submissions, so I decided to come back for a sequel post and share 10 more complicated questions. I hope one or several answers will help you on your journey.

1. If you’re writing a series, does an agent want you to say that in the query?

The old mentality for this was no, you should not discuss a series in the query, and instead just pitch one book and let any discussion naturally progress to the topic of more books, if the agent so inquires. However, I’ve overheard more and more literary agents say that they did want to know if your book was the potential start of the series. So, the correct answer, it appears, depends on who you ask. In circumstances like these, I recommend crafting an answer to cover all bases: “This book could either be a standalone project or the start of a series.” When worded like this, you disclose the series potential, but don’t make it sound like you’re saying “I want a 5-book deal or NOTHING.” You’ll sound like an easy-to-work-with writing professional, and leave all options open.

2. Should you mention that you’ve self-published books in the past?

In my opinion, you don’t have to. So if you indie-published a few e-books that went nowhere, you don’t have to list every one and their disappointing sales numbers. The release of those books should not affect your new novel that you’re submitting to agents. That said, if your self-published projects experienced healthy sales (5,000+ print books, 20,000+ e-books), then sure, mention it. In other words, talk about your indie-pub projects if they will help your case. Otherwise, just leave them out of the conversation and focus on the new project at hand.

3. What happens when you’re writing a book that doesn’t easily fall into one specific genre? How do you handle that problem in a query letter?

Know that you have to bite the bullet and call it something. Even if you end up calling it a “middle grade adventure with supernatural elements,” then you’re at least calling it something. Writers really get into a pickle when they start their pitch with something like, “It’s a sci-fi western humorous fantastical suspense romance, set in steampunk Britain … with erotic werewolf transvestite protagonists.” Fundamentally, it must be something, so pick its core genre and just call it that — otherwise your query might not even get read. I’m not a huge fan of writers comparing their work to other projects (saying “It’s X meets Z” — that type of thing), but said strategy — comparing your book to others in the marketplace — is most useful for those authors who have a hard time describing the plot and tone of their tale.

4. How many query rejections would necessitate a major overhaul of the query?

[Read more…]

How to Support an Author’s New Book: 11 Ideas For You

January 28, 2013 By Chuck Sambuchino

My screenwriting partner and WD coworker, Brian A. Klems, is gearing up for the April release of his first book — a humorous guide for fathers called OH BOY, YOU’RE HAVING A GIRL: A DAD’S SURVIVAL GUIDE TO RAISING DAUGHTERS (Adams Media). On top of that, my coworker Robert Brewer (editor of Writer’s Market) recently got a publishing deal for a book of his poetry. (This is big because getting a book of poems traditionally published is next to impossible.) So I find myself as a cheerleader for my writing buddies — trying to do what I can to help as their 2013 release dates approach. I help in two ways: 1) I use my own experience of writing & publishing books to share advice on what they can expect and plan for; and 2) I simply do whatever little things I can that help in any way.

This last part brings up an important point: Anyone can support an author’s book release by doing different things to help the book sell and get noticed. So, in no particular order, here are 11 things — some big, some small — that you can do to support a writer friend when their book comes out: [Read more…]

Freelance Editing: How to Hire an Editor for Your Book or Query Letter

December 10, 2012 By Chuck Sambuchino

GIVEAWAY: I am (again) so very excited to announce the Nov. 2012 release of my newest book: CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM. It’s a book all about how to build your visibility, brand, network and discoverability so you can better market yourself and your books. I’m giving away 1 copy to a random commenter based in the U.S. and Canada; comment within one week to win. Good luck! (Update: Joe Levit won.)

During the past few years, I have started doing more freelance editing for query letters and books/novels. And during that time, I’ve definitely started to notice some tips that I think would help writers who are seeking to get their work edited by a professional. With that in mind, here are 6 pieces of advice for hiring a freelance editor as well as the answers to 4 frequently asked questions on the topic.

6 PIECES OF ADVICE

1. Get a test edit. Hiring a freelance book doctor costs money, and you don’t want to plunk down a large chunk of change before you’ve seen the kind of services an editor will provide. So ask for a test edit. A test edit basically means you pass along a few pages and get them reviewed to see what kind of notes and ideas the editor is making in terms of proofreading and content work. Test edits usually work one of two ways: 1) You pass on 1-2 pages and the editor reviews them for free; or 2) you pass on a more substantial number of pages (10-50) and simply pay the editor as normal for those pages. If you like what you see from the test edit, then you can move forward on a bigger deal.

2. Look for referrals and success stories. These days, everyone lists “freelance editor” on their qualifications. Scan the ads of writing websites and publications to see dozens of people vying for your business. That’s because “freelance editor” is a desirable profession, as the work can be done from anywhere. So when you’re seeking out a freelance editor, seek not only an impressive bio and qualifications, but also referrals and success stories. Talk to writing peers who have used editors and find out if they liked what they received in the exchange. And, of course, nothing succeeds like success — so look at what projects the editor has worked on that 1) got published by a traditional publisher, 2) secured literary agent representation, or 3) had notable success after being self-published. That will be a big clue if the editor is truly helping people get published and achieve their goals.

3. Be upfront about what you want out of the edit. [Read more…]

How to Start Your Novel: What The Movie TRUE LIES Taught Me

November 26, 2012 By Chuck Sambuchino

GIVEAWAY: I am so very excited to announce the Nov. 2012 release of my newest book: CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM. It’s a book all about how to build your visibility, brand, network and discoverability so you can better market yourself and your books. I’m giving away 2 copies to random commenters based in the U.S. and Canada; comment within one week to win. Good luck! (UPDATE: C.L. and Staci Troilo won.)

My columns usually discuss the business of writing, but today I’d like to try a thought on writing craft — specifically: a guideline on how to start your novel.

One of the most common reasons why agents and editors stop reading sample pages is simply that the story starts too slow. Gone are the days when a book could “get good on page 12.” We also can no longer compare our writing to classic works or even books written 30 years ago that started slow and found marketplace success. Today’s novels — especially debut novels — must grab readers from the first page, the first paragraph, even the first sentence.

Despite the fact that the importance of starting strong appears to be well known by most aspiring writers, people still have a hard time with it. I was freelance editing a client’s first 15 pages last year and was dismayed to see that all 15 pages simply described a mystical woman walking across the desert heading for task at a faraway location. There was no question that the writer had talent — this was good, descriptive writing. But it was also boring as hell. 15 pages of essentially nothing happening. That is kind of an extreme example, sure, but this problem — starting too slow — also exists in smaller, more subtle forms.

This past summer, I sat with two literary agents on a “Literary Idol” panel at a writers’ conference where people read their first page and we would raise our hands when we would “stop reading” the submission, as if we were considering a real page one in the slush pile. I specifically remember two participants and the agents’ similar feedback to both. [Read more…]

Building Your Writer Platform — How Much is Enough?

October 22, 2012 By Chuck Sambuchino

This column excerpted from my book, CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM (Nov. 2012, Writer’s Digest Books), a guide on how to build your visibility, brand, and network to better market yourself and your books. The book includes lots of interviews with literary agents and platform-heavy authors.

I often discuss how to build a writer platform on my Guide to Literary Agents Blog and when I speak at writers’ conferences. In the blog posts and during the speeches, I found myself often using phrases similar to the following:

“To achieve impressive blog stats…”
“Then, when your newsletter gets big enough…”
“That way, you can get invited to speak more and that will help you get an agent…”

But after I used such generic phrases a few times, the big question started to come from readers and conference attendees: How much is enough?

How do agents and editors define “impressive blog stats”? When can you say you have a “sizeable newsletter”? How many speaking engagements should you have each year before you feel confident in sending a nonfiction book proposal out on submission? Should you wait till you have a certain number of Twitter followers or Facebook fans before querying literary agents?

Wow. Great questions — and ones that aren’t really addressed anywhere on the Internet because it’s such a subjective answer. But I’ll try to tackle them here real quick.

THE ANSWER VARIES FOR EVERYONE [Read more…]

9 Frequently Asked Questions About Query Letters

September 24, 2012 By Chuck Sambuchino

GIVEAWAY: I am excited to give away a free copy of either the 2013 Guide to Literary Agents or the 2013 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market to a random commenter. Comment within one week; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. Good luck to all! (UPDATE: Mark Liebrecht won.)

When contacting agents, the query process isn’t as simple as “Just keep e-mailing until something good happens.” There are ins, outs, strange situations, unclear scenarios, and plenty of what-have-you that block the road to signing with a rep. It’s with that in mind that I have collected 9 of the more interesting questions submitted to me by readers regarding protocol during the query process. (By the way, this post proved so popular that I wrote a sequel: “10 More Query FAQs Answered.”)

1. Can you query multiple agents at the same agency?

Generally, no. A rejection from one literary agent usually means a rejection from the entire agency. If you query one agent and she thinks the work isn’t right for her but still has promise, she will pass it on to fellow agents in the office who can review it themselves. Agents work together like that.

2. Can you re-query an agent after she rejects you?

You can, though I’d say you have about a 50/50 shot of getting your work read. Some agents seem to be more than open to reviewing a query letter if it’s undergone serious editing. Other agents, meanwhile, believe that a no is a no—period. So, in other words, you really don’t know, so you might as well just query away and hope for the best.

3. Do you need to query conservative agent for a conservative book? A liberal agent for a liberal book?

[Read more…]

How to Publicize and Promote Your Book: 7 Pieces of Advice

July 23, 2012 By Chuck Sambuchino

GIVEAWAY: In celebration of the Aug. 1 release of my new humor book, RED DOG / BLUE DOG: WHEN POOCHES GET POLITICAL, I am hosting a giveaway with this post. After one week, I will choose three (3) random commenters as winners, and those winners can chose any one of my books that they want to receive as a prize. Good luck to all! (UPDATE: Ronda R, Kenny K and Cathy won.)

Only 8 days (!) remain until the release of my latest political humor book. That means it’s a time for me to do what I can concerning promotion and publicity in support of the project. A bit of good news for me is that I’ve been down this road before. In 2010, my first humor book about garden gnomes was released and I got a close look at how the publicity machine works and why writers get coverage in some outlets but not in others. So as I start down this path a second time, let me share 7 pieces of advice concerning book promotion and publicity — all of which were shaped from what I learned during my first go-round in 2010.

1. Coverage is insanely hit-and-miss, so don’t be afraid to fire in multiple directions. After my book got mentions in Reader’s Digest and AOL News, I thought it would be a shoo-in for coverage when I notified the local media. Not so. The fact is: You never know who will be interested in your book, so your only option is to blast numerous outlets, big and small, local and not. (I often compare trying to garner book publicity to a blindfolded person firing in all directions.) That said, remember to personalize all your communication. Sending out a press release accompanied by a short, personal note will be much more effective than just a cold press release.

2. Your connections matter, so reach out to friends. [Read more…]

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