Why Some Writers Make it and Others Don't + News ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­ ͏ ‌     ­
Why Some Writers Make it and Others Don't + News
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NEWS

N.K. Jemisin’s THE INHERITANCE TRILOGY is going to be developed as a TV Series by Searchlight TV & Westbrook Studios.

TWO ROGUES MAKE A RIGHT by Cat Sebastian is a Lambda Literary Awards finalist in the Gay Romance category.

THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING by Alyssa Cole, and THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin are all Audie Awards finalists.

THE CITY WE BECAME is also a Nebula Award finalist, and is up for the Los Angeles Times Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction.

DEAD DEAD GIRLS by Nekesa Afia was on BookRiot’s 2021 LGBTQ Books by Black Authors and PopSugar’s 15 Gripping Mystery Novels Written by Black Women lists.

Liselle Sambury’s BLOOD LIKE MAGIC was a Junior Library Guild selection.

THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune made the Washington Post paperback bestsellers list.

YOU HAVE A MATCH by Emma Lord was one of POPSUGAR’s Best New YA Novels of 2021.

The Nerd Daily gave NEAR THE BONE by Christina Henry a fantastic review.

THE BRIGHT AND BREAKING SEA by Chloe Neill and THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin were nominated in the “Best Traditionally Published Novel” category in the 2020 BookNest Fantasy Awards.

DISASTER GIRL by Michelle Dayton received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

WAKING UP MARRIED by Reese Ryan was a Harlequin Junkie TOP PICK.

Dr. Karen Aronian appeared on FOX 5 DC to discuss schools beginning to open, low grades among students, and students who are missing from virtual learning.

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists is hosting a "Get Published, Get Paid" virtual conference with Curtis Honeycutt on April 16-17.

ROUND TABLE

In your opinion, what separates writers who “make it” from those who don’t?

LucienneDiver

Lucienne Diver

Perseverance. It’s so rare that an author becomes a bestseller right out of the gate, with their first or second book. It happens, but usually it takes a while for buzz and an audience to build. And even once an author hits big, there will be highs and lows, peaks and valleys. You can think of publishing like sledding. It’s no fun at all pushing the sled up the hill, but once you’re there, the ride is exhilarating. Then you hit the bottom or maybe you’re temporarily dumped out halfway down the hill. You grab the sleigh and head back for the top rather than stall out.

Publishing is work, and it’s a constant climb for the top. Those I see make it have worked damned hard to get there. They’re amazingly talented, yes, but they’ve written and rewritten, taken constructive criticism, worked on shoring up their weaknesses, gotten out of their comfort zones with promoting, supported others who in turn support them. They’re not making that climb to the top all alone. They have other authors, their agents, editors, publicity and marketing people, art departments, reviewers, so many in support of them. Writing may be lonely, but publishing is a community.

melissa_jeglinski

Melissa Jeglinski

There are a lot of factors involved, but perseverance and tenacity and always working on the next project contributes a great deal to success. 

travis-11

Travis Pennington

No doubt there are countless people working in jobs they hate because they gave up too soon on their real dream. Perhaps they had written three novels, all of which were rejected. But what they didn't realize was that novel four would have been THE ONE. So the number one thing that separates those who make it and those who don't is perseverance. There are, of course, other factors, but none of those can even come into play for those who throw in the towel too soon.

janna

Janna Bonikowski

I think authors need excellent ideas, first and foremost, along with skill, hard work, a solid team, and definitely a strong dose of luck so that all of the above come together at exactly the right time in order to make it. 

NEW CLIENTS ON THE BLOCK

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Leo Nissola, M.D.
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Leo Nissola, M.D. is an immunology researcher. He has designed first-in-human clinical trials for cancer patients, showcased at the world’s largest immunotherapy conference. Covid Act Now selected him to help design and evaluate data-driven epidemiological models to address the COVID-19 pandemic in America, which the White House Coronavirus Task Force presented in press briefings. He has also advised various state legislators on pandemic response. He appears frequently as a medical expert on American Voices on MSNBC, BBC World News, CBS News, Fox Business, NBC News, and other programs and networks. He lives in San Francisco with his partner.

Melody-Graves2-063-WEB (2020_05_17 20_08_21 UTC)

Melody Chan
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Melody Chan spent several years as a biologist before devoting her time to writing young adult fiction. As a Spoonie who understands the complexities of chronic illness, she enjoys writing at home in the comfort of her pajamas.

RECENT DEALS

- Alyssa Cole and illustrator ONeillJones's REJECT SQUAD, pitched as a Sleeping Beauty–inspired YA fantasy romance in which a perfectionist princess powered by rage is hexed, placing her kingdom and her life in jeopardy unless her newfound friends (the magical hot messes of the reject squad) and the irritating boy she's betrothed to can help her save herself, to Tiara Kittrell at Balzer & Bray in a good two-book deal at auction, by Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency for the author, and by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the illustrator

- Author of the forthcoming BLOOD LIKE MAGIC Liselle Sambury's BUTCHERBIRDS, about a reluctant medium who must confront the ghosts—both literal and figurative—of her mom's past and the budding investigative journalist determined to uncover what happened to her, to Sarah McCabe at Margaret K. McElderry Books in an exclusive submission for a good two-book deal, by Kristy Hunter

- Cassie Miles's three new untitled Colorado-set romances, to Allison Lyons at Harlequin Intrigue in a nice three-book deal, by Melissa Jeglinski

- K.D. Casey's UNWRITTEN RULES, a contemporary male/male romance in which a struggling Jewish catcher and his superstar ex-boyfriend work to reconcile after they unexpectedly reunite at the MLB All-Star Game, to Stephanie Doig at Carina Press in a nice deal, by Deidre Knight

- Michelle Dayton's SCAMMER GIRL, about a battle of wits and hearts between a brilliant online romance scammer and Silicon Valley's toughest cybercrime opponent, to Meghan Farrell at Tule, by Janna Bonikowski

- N.K. Jemisin's THE CITY WE BECAME, to Samlaget (Norway) in a nice deal, by Elin Rydner at Lennart Sane Agency on behalf of Lucienne Diver

- Karen Booth's BROOKLYN MONROE WANTS IT ALL, book two in the Never Too Late series, to Daniel Totten at Tantor Media, by Melissa Jeglinski

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