E. A. Greyson Writes

Literary Agent Makes an Offer—What Now? The Next Steps

January 14, 2026

I’m back! 🦾

Yes, it’s been a longer hiatus than what I planned 😬 Honestly, I just needed the time. And, you know what? That’s okay! Giving ourselves the time to recover from big things is totally okay. It’s good to be a little kinder to yourself ❤️‍🩹

Much has happened in my time—three months, yikes!—away. My surgery was successful, and though it was not what we assumed it was going in (bowel endometriosis), we did get an answer, which was adhesions from my prior sub-total hysterectomy. I’m won’t go into details, but the short & skinny is that the procedure was longer than expected, but successful with a relatively smooth recovery! ☺️Unfortunately, pelvic surgeries do take up to a year to fully heal. So, I’ve got a ways to go. I’m very grateful, though!

What else happened in that time was that I received an offer. It was not from a literary agent; it was from a small press. And, though I decided a small press wasn’t where I see myself going on my career path, it did help solidify what I do want. It also inspired me to be more confident with how I go about it!

BUT, let’s say you 🫵🏻 get an offer from a literary agent (or a small publisher). What do you do next?

The industry standard gives you 1-2 weeks to decide, with two weeks being the norm. You can 100% ask the agent who is extending the offer of rep for more time. ⚠️ A reputable agent should have no issue with you asking for more time or for the standard two week period for you to decide. There was a certain agent last year who rescinded their offer because the writer informed them they needed the two weeks. This is wrong on all levels, and any agent who does this, is problematic, and you should run 🏃🏼‍♀️

So, you have your offer. First off, congrats! 🎉 This is HUGE! What you do when you get off your call is contact every agent that has an active query or full request—Every. Single. One. ✔️

For queries/fulls sent via email 📧: put in your subject field “OFFER IN HAND- NAME OF MANUSCRIPT”. Make sure it is in uppercase, so the agent doesn’t miss it in their inbox!

For queries/fulls sent via QueryTracker 📥: go into your query and click “View on QueryManager”->”Contact”->”Contact Agent”->”Report an Offer”.

For queries/fulls sent via contact form 💻: you may need to do a little hunting on the respective agency’s website to find a contact email or form.

In the body of said message (applicable for all three), you can inform them that you are delighted to inform them you received an offer from X Agent at X Agency—this is important because agents are going to want to double check if the offer is valid. We also had issues last year of writers claiming they had an offer from an agent when they did not in order to get other agents to push their query forward/get replies on full requests. ❌ DO NOT DO THIS ❌ Agents in the business usually know each other or someone who knows that someone, and they absolutely will double check.

After informing them of the who at where, you can then inform them the when. ⏲️ Let them know as per industry standards, you have X amount of time (1-3 weeks, whatever you and the offering agent decided on) to make your decision, and would love to still hear the agent you’re nudging’s thoughts. Then ask them to reply by X Date, signing off with that you’re hopeful to hear from them and thank them for considering your query/full.

Then comes the hard part—the waiting 🕢

From my experience in December, most agents will get back to you relatively quick. You may get a full request out of it or an answer on your full, if it’s already out. It definitely will speed things up and clear your query list.

If there’s a particular agent you wish to hear from and haven’t, it doesn’t hurt to nudge after a week, just in case the initial message was missed. This did happen to me, though unfortunately, it was still a pass from them (with some amazing, positive feedback! It was legit just a case of their list already being quite full).

At the end of the deadline, you will either have an additional offer, which means you have some thinking to do (and lucky you!), or you’ll still have all passes and that initial offer to circle back to. Either way, YAY! 👏🏻

Even though I was faced with all passes on the twenty-ish queries I had out, I still realized where my heart lies, which is not with a small press, and informed the publisher of such. This also gave me a pretty clean slate, and after the New Year, I started sending out queries again…and I got a full request! 😎

The important thing to remember about publishing, especially trad publishing, is that it’s the right story with the right agent at the right time. There is no rushing it. The industry and the agent/agent’s list needs to be right for your story. So, yes, rejections can be rough, but it’s truly all subjective and timing.

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 I’m going to be attempting to get back into the swing of things, both here on the blog, as well as writing. I also want to start up a SubStack, which I mentioned before. I think my plan is for more general posts being here while specialty posts be behind the paywall on SubStack. This is TBD—much more planning to do! I’m also hoping to snag a domain and get a proper website going. Stay tuned, and I’ll also update on that full request when I know!

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

I hope you had a fun holiday & here’s to the New Year!

Happy writing!

xE
Pitch Perfect—Should Writers Do Those Pitch Events on Social Media?

September 18, 2025
Short answer—yes! ✅

Whether we like it or not, part and parcel of the trad publishing journey is now social media. As I said in previous posts, the way of the industry is heavily relying on authors to work their platform, a bulk of (if not all) the advertising being through various social media platforms to connect readers to the book. But this doesn’t start when you secure a publisher and your book is going to go live…

We’ve already established that you should have socials set up; your basics are always a good start, FB, Twitter, and Instagram. But you shouldn’t just be utilizing the platforms for likes & follows—Twitter (and Bluesky) and now Instagram have pitch events that go on during the year for both agents and editors. Some include PitchDis (for writers with disabilities), MoodPitch (on hiatus), PitBLK (for POC writers), QueerPit (for LGBTQI+ writers) and QuestPit. These are just a few, and a quick search on your fave search engine will show almost a dozen more in various genres and marginalized communities.

What’s the purpose of these events?

Like I said above, they connect you ↔️ with both agents and editors.

A lot of agents (if not most) lurk these events on socials, as it’s a great way to find new and emerging talent, and writers who have a big idea or a modest following. It’s the same for editors, which is part of the trad publishing process, since querying doesn’t actually stop once you secure an offer from an agent; you go on submission to publishers and it’s the editors that you’re querying. Hopefully, one day I will be able go in depth about that experience! 🤞🏻

Bottom line, this is a great way to connect with those who are interested, cutting down your work in querying.

How does it work? 🤔

Each event has rules and some are even off the socials platform completely; one of the original events, which I believe is defunct, PitMad, you were allowed three posts on Twitter between 8am-8pm EST on a specific day. There was a format to follow and certain hashtags used that agents and editors could search and be linked to your tweet/pitch (one was the event tag, #PitMad). Most pitch events on Twitter and Bluesky follow this same format.

An example of a pitch post on X (FKA Twitter) from the PosterPit event.
So, you have your comps, which can be books (most popular), movies, or even songs. You’re giving the feel of where your book would sit in media. Mine for my querying project “Starry, Starry Night” is RED DRAGON x THE SEARCHER but for my other project, “Vincent’s Song” it’s THE RAVEN (2012) x CORPSE BRIDE.

Then you put your pitch, which is usually a short & punchy elevator pitch, but you can add emojis, detail your themes and tropes, too. That’s followed by the tags for the event, which usually includes the event name, genres, and whether you’re looking for an editor or an agent.

Sometimes, media can be posted; for PosterPit it was movie posters (which I didn’t include mine above). MoodPitch was mood boards. These can be super helpful for pitches, as it gives a better feeling of tone and advertises your work.

Okay, post is up…now what? You wait for agents/editors to like your pitch! ❤️

Every like by an agent is an invitation to send them a query**. Just make sure you include that in your query, so they know where/why you’re pitching. 🚨 Do not like another pitcher’s post! You can definitely share it/retweet/repost it. That’s encouraged! But don’t “like” it because that’s reserved for agents/editors to show their interest.

**Don’t forget to research the agent and the agency before querying! You need to make sure your project lines up with their wish list, as well as the agency’s status in the industry!

Now, for some events, they’re moving offline to make things easier and more accessible. That is actually what inspired me to write this post—PitchDis is ongoing right now, which I am participating in! I really wish all pitch events would organize the way Despina Karras has for PitchDis. She needs a huge pat on the back and hug for being so amazing and pulling it all together 👏🏻 🫶🏻

PitchDis sticker for participating in the event, 2025.
What makes PitchDis so special? Accessibility! ♿ Instead of using social media to post, she had a clever Google Form, making things 100x easier. She even ran a practice form the week before, which was so helpful 🥹 Since I’m AuDHD, I have issues with processing things quickly, so this gave me a chance to look over the form and not feel anxious about “getting it right” or having everything together with a time limit. Like some other events, this applies to a marginalized community, those who identify as disabled.

Once the form was submitted—we had FOUR days to submit!—Despina took the weekend to sort and compile the pitches before opening up for agents and editors to access them on a separate platform and request queries, which is still ongoing, but also four days in length. If an agent likes your pitch, they request it, and you receive an e-mail with the details on how to query (make sure you check your spam! Mine keep going there even when marked as safe 😆).

This is actually the first pitch event that felt less stressy for me. Some highlights for me are:
1. The practice form. It alleviated any and all anxiety.
2. Having a form in general!
3. We had FOUR days to submit up to two pitches; no worry about posting between 8am-8pm or WHEN during that slot to post to get your pitch seen.
4. Despina went through every pitch to make sure they were formatted correctly and everyone’s emails were correct; no one left behind!
5. Agents and editors had access to ALL pitches; again, no one left behind!
6. Agents and editors have FOUR days to request a query—they could take their time. Because they’re people too and may also need accommodations!
FYI, the next PitchDis is TBA, but you can follow on Twitter and Bluesky for updates.

Pitch events are a great tool for connecting with agents and editors, but also other people in the Writing Community. The amount of cheering over on Twitter has been amazing! Hopefully, we all get offers and can say goodbye to pitch events! 😎

What are your thoughts on pitch events? Have you ever participated? What were your results? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 Like I mentioned in my last post, I have major surgery scheduled for Monday, October 6th (2.5 weeks away! 😬). This post was a day later than I wanted it to be because I tweaked my shoulder while turning over in bed…one of those lovely weird things when you’re in your mid-thirties, apparently 😅 But next week will be my last post here on the blog before my wee hiatus; I won’t be posting for the majority of Spooky Season 🎃 But in the words of Arnie: I’ll be back! 🦾

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

Happy writing!

xE
Do I Need an Editor? Paying the Price for Perfection (Or Close to It)

September 10, 2025

This is a common question I see all the time; should I pay for an editor? I’m gonna give it to you straight—you should. That doesn’t mean you have to, though it does depend on the circumstances.

Now, my blog focuses on the journey to trad publishing, but I was an indie author at one point, so I am going to touch on both sides of the coin 🪙

Indie Publishing:

There are two forms of independent publishing: small presses and self publishing.

Small presses will have in-house editors (or they should). Small presses are not the same as traditional publishing, as they are still relying on you to market your book, using your own resources to do so.

BUT they will have a team for editing, cover art, and formatting. It’s also worth noting, small presses are usually Print-On-Demand (POD), so your work won’t be available in brick and mortar stores, unless you set up consignment opportunities—you buy the copies via the hardcopy distributor (usually Amazon) and give them to the bookstore in question to sell. This is also a key difference with trad publishing, as they will distribute the first edition hardcovers to major retailers, then the paperback edition about a year or so later. Also, small presses may only give you the option of a paperback edition of your work 📖

Point is, you will be assigned an editor from their team. The only thing you need to have at that point is whatever platform they use for the editing process; Word is the most popular, but they may also use Google Docs, as they both have a similar interface with tracking changes and comments. I may do a separate post about my experience with small presses; the good, the bad, & the ugly.

In SELF publishing—you go on Kindle Direct Publishing or Smashwords (or the like) and you publish it yourself—YOU NEED AN EDITOR. I cannot emphasize this enough. I have seen my fair share of books that have been self published and they so badly needed an editor. It actually gave me secondhand embarrassment 🫣

And, no, you can’t just have a friend or family member go over it. You need a professional editor. You need someone who is trained in this business and knows what they’re doing. Can they be expensive? YES. But you are paying for (close to) perfection. Readers will absolutely tear you apart for not having a clean edit. I will also say this goes for cover art, too; please hire someone to make your cover, unless you have graphic design experience. Otherwise, it’s going to look cheap, and your story will be passed over by the consumer.

With most editors, you may have several packages to choose from, some including things like world building, proofreading, beta reads, and story development. Their services will be PPW—pay/price per word. I think the most common I’ve seen is $0.03/w on average, but I’ve seen some be like $0.007 per word. Based on an 80k book, it’s $2400 vs $560 for probably a standard line edit to grab those pesky grammar and spelling issues (for the latter…the former may have more options, like proofreading or story development).

Self publishing is a not a “get rich quick” thing. It’s also not a “free ride” to that get-rich-quick. To have a good looking book, you need to shell out the moolah for the cover and editing, then for the marketing. Like I said in a previous post, being an indie author means doing it all on your own and having the money to do it 💸💸💸

Trad Publishing/Finding An Agent:

Do you need an editor when you’re going to be querying? You don’t need one. It’s definitely nice to have and may even increase your chances of both a full request and an offer, as there is less work for the agent to do to prep your manuscript for shopping it around. It’s nice to have 😆

This is just like when it comes to blogs and social media; if you have the means to do so, do it. That’s another thing that’s messy when it comes to indie. You have to pay for the pro versions of everything because it’s you on your own. You sink a lot into it to be professional and serious about your art.

Now, are there ways around it? Yes. This is where I’m suggesting to sink some money. I use ProWritingAid (#notsponsored lol) because all I want from it is line editing, and I paid for the annual subscription. Legit, that’s all I use it for, line editing. The AI features do not interest me in the slightest. I want it to find the spots where I missed words, used the wrong tense, or made a spelling boo-boo. I also utilize the “Style” feature to catch unnecessary adverbs (those pesky -ly words) and the “Overused” to catch words/phrases I’m repeating. It’s just an easier way to do it, rather than searching on Word and highlighting them all.

Screen cap of the ribbon on ProWritingAid.
The program has the “Style Score” feature, which can be super annoying. I mean, sometimes it’s useful, it will suggest a way to reword a phrase, but sometimes…I specifically want it to be said like that, you know? So, yes, it’s “easier” to say it another way, but I want to be wordy and “difficult”. That’s my prerogative as the writer.

And that’s the thing about these editing programs, you need to watch what it suggests because that’s what they are, suggestions. The program is going to suggest a comma or to end quotes in places that it shouldn’t because it’s a machine and it does make mistakes. There’s also nuances to your story and how you say things, something AI or any computer will never understand. This is also why a human editor (who does not use third-party programs, a lot of scammers are doing that) is needed. They will “get” those little quirks that make your writing yours.

The good thing about ProWritingAid or programs like it—NOT Grammarly, as they have a clause in their T&C that says they own your work and can use it to train AI if you use their program—is that they clean it up. The tighter your prose is, the more enticing it can be for an agent. There’s less work to do on it and makes more time for shopping it around to the Big 5.

BUT, like I said, if you have the funds to hire an editor, I suggest you do it. You may be splurging on it, but in the end, your story is going to be stronger and a better hook.

So, do you use an editor? What has your experience been? Would you splurge on one if you had the means? Leave a comment and let me know!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 I do have some personal news that pertains to my posting: it will be business as usual this week and the following two, with my regular post of one or two per week, Wednesday or Thursday. However, the last week of September will mark the beginning of a wee hiatus; my long awaited (and much needed) major surgery has been booked for October 6th! So, I won’t be posting for the majority of Spooky Season 🎃 Here’s hopin’ that this will help me feel A LOT better! 🤞🏻

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

Happy writing!

xE
Social Media Madness—Yay or Nay? Do You Really Need a Presence to Be a Writer?

September 4, 2025

I’m gonna cut to the chase—yes, you do.

So much has changed when it comes to our relationship with the internet. Back in my day (oof! 😅), the internet was more a place than a thing; you literally went to the family computer, which was often set up in a corner, if not an actual separate room, where you needed to “sign on” (in the days of ye olde dial-up) in order to access it 🌐 You had a set time, a set task, and once you were done said task? You “signed off” and walked away from the computer to join the real world again 🌳

By the time I was in high school, this changed to wireless, but the concept was still pretty much the same, even with cell phones starting to become more popular. God forbid you click on the web browser on your flip phone! You clicked to exit it as fast as you could so that you didn’t get charged an arm and a leg for accessing it 😆 IYKYK.

I was in grade 12 when Facebook launched for the masses, and it was treated relatively the same as MySpace, mostly to keep in touch with friends, drama, and sharing interests. However, there was a shift when more social media platforms started to pop up, Twitter, Instagram, and the like, and then the “Influencer” was born.

Now, social media and being entirely accessible, our lives on display with little to no privacy, is the norm, even expected. The internet is no longer a place where you do web searches for school projects and chat with friends in a chatroom or on MSN, looking up cool backgrounds for your MySpace page and adjusting your top 5 friends. It’s now a thing that we’re tethered to 24/7, relying on an internet connection or “Shock Free Data” to keep us scrolling endlessly on social media, consuming Reels and short-form content because we can’t sit in the stillness of the Real World or imagine doing so 🙃

And, unfortunately, it’s not that most agents and publishers expect you to be an “Influencer”, so much as they want you to be a popular Content Creator. They don’t want you “influencing” people to buy just anything or live a certain way. They want you to create content for an audience base to sell your book(s).

I say not all agents expect you to have a following because that’s how it is…there are some agents that are interested in debut authors who do not have a brand yet, so they can help foster their careers and build something spectacular. However…when you head over to most agents’ MSWL, you’re going to notice that some are going to be bold enough to tell it how it is: and they’re not interested in writers who do not have a social media presence.

Well, Evie, why is that?

I can only tell you it’s because the Big 5 Mainstream Publishers want that. They want you to already have an audience to sell your book to. It gives them a better chance of making their money back and then some, especially if you have enough followers to warrant your book going viral. They want the return on investment 💸💸💸

Publishing will always be about numbers, not about art. They want to make money. In reality, we all want to make money, because we have to live and you need money for that. And, honestly, if it’s more about your art than money for you, self-publishing is always an avenue you can explore, but keep in mind that that also relies heavily on social media and marketing your work, and in that case there’s only you to orchestrate that (unless you can afford an assistant). Speaking from experience, it’s a lot of work, too, sometimes with no return on your own investment of time and money 😕

If mainstream success is your goal, to support yourself with your art, you need a way to get the word out. And in this day and age, the Digital Age, social media is how people consume content and find more content to consume, including purchasing your work.

Now, do you need to have tens of thousands of followers? No. Does that help? Well, yeah! 😄 But in the end, if you can show you are actively pushing yourself out into the “metaverse”, you’re proving you can do the same to help market your book. You’re showing you have the skills and a base to launch from.

It’s sad that old image of a reclusive writer is now an antiquated idea. A lot of writers (including myself) really just want to write. We don’t want to be Content Creators or have to focus on anything except writing our stories. But the thing is, you need to think of writing as a career, a job, not just a passion project, and these are the skills you need for the job. Laurell K. Hamilton, New York Times best selling author of the Anita Blake series, has even said that she has always treated her writing as a job, never a hobby. She is also quite active on her socials as we’ve pivoted into the social media era.

So, how do we build our audience?

Effort. And the algorithm! 😆

I mean, a lot of writers have started their path to traditional publishing by getting into the indie sphere. This can be a viable option, if you’re looking more so to build your social media presence rather than make a lot of money (cause it’s a touch gig, I’ll tell ya).

In most cases, they don’t publish full-length novels, either—they publish shorts or novellas that are in the same universe as prequels, to get people excited about a full-length story. Then they work the indie circuit, which includes doing takeovers, blog and FB group hops, events on Twitter and Instagram, and even networking at conventions and festivals where books are the main focus. It’s a viable option to build your following, generating excitement for your work and potential future sales when you do acquire representation and a publisher and go live.

How else can you do it? A blog! Kinda like this one 🤭 You can just share your musings or even do book reviews. The important part is to remember to cross-post and push your individual blog posts with the right hashtags and at the right times on the right days, so you can get more traffic and interest.

You can also get involved with the writing community on each social media platform or in the real world, like a writing group or class. The more talk you can generate, the more your face (or brand) is seen, the more interest you can gain, and an audience will follow.

In the end though, just remember to be kind to yourself and practice healthy social media habits; it’s okay to unplug. It’s okay to not be accessible 24/7. You don’t have to showcase everything. Privacy is your right, and you can choose what you want to share. You don’t have to give every intimate detail of your life. And always practice online safety; if you do get a decent following, even go viral, there will be people who do not have your best interests in mind. Always protect your home address, your personal information, and your location 🔐

So, what does your presence look like? Do you miss the old days of the internet? Do you pine for the antiquated image of a reclusive writer? Comment and let me know!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 Like I mentioned yesterday, kinda shaking things up a bit this week with two blog posts! I’m gonna keep an eye on the stats to see if this works for bringing in more traffic—like I said previously, it’s a lot of testing right now to see where my butter zone lies. Once I know, I can have a set schedule for posts. So, 🐻 with me!

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

Happy writing!

xE
Madness or Method? What’s in a Writer’s Method & Writing a Book

September 3, 2025

Some say there’s a method to my madness…or is it madness to my method? 🤔 It’s one of the two, I know that much.

I’ve touched briefly on how I went to and graduated from film school in a previous post. Like I mentioned before, my intention was to…you know, get into film! But things got derailed by my discovering my love for writing fiction, while writing my first manuscript. And I remember the day I started it, very vividly. I even remember the date: July 27th, 2008. Why do I remember? I used the month and day as a chapter heading (though with a different year)!

It was a Sunday, and we were expecting a pretty wicked thunderstorm. I was still living in the house I’d grown up in the majority of my life, and I was alone that day, sitting at the kitchen table with a single candle and my mum’s laptop before me. It was my mum’s laptop because mine was in getting serviced due to a virus (thanks Limewire! 😂).

I hate giving power or credit to a bully, but that’s the reason I started writing that day—a person who dropped out of the program at film school told me that my work wasn’t anything special and I needed to be “realistic” about my future goals. Yes, they’d dropped out, in fact they dropped out after the first term, so why was I listening to them? It was in the May, my fourth term, when they decided to tell me this, obviously trying to discourage me. And it ate away at me until that stormy day, when I decided to let them be right (again, WHY Evelyn?? 😩), and figured I’d need to “fall back” on writing.

This is where method comes in…I didn’t have one! I really never saw my talent for writing to be worth anything in my life. I didn’t think my being a writer would get me anywhere. Honestly, I never gave writing two thoughts, despite the fact that I’ve been a writer my entire life. I was always writing short stories and even screenplays, but it never meant anything. I never thought, “Hey, I should be a writer!”

Obviously, at that time in the summer of 2008, I thought I was going to get into film. So, I wasn’t intending on writing fiction, I was going to write screenplays. In fact, my manuscript I’m currently querying started out as a screenplay—I still have the pages! But my thought process was, if I’m going to write screenplays, I should better myself when it comes to storytelling.

I reached back in my mind to my grade 12 Writer’s Craft class (again, should’ve known I’d be a writer, since I took that class, an elective 😄), pulling up one of our assignments, intending for that to be a writing exercise. Though, I can’t remember what exercise it was, as I ended up just describing the candle sitting on the table beside me 🕯️

From there, I added in the character and the room…and a dead body on the floor. It started out as a short story, but then moved into being novella-length quite quickly (25k words), and I realized that I could write a book! 😮 In fact, it was completely within my capabilities to do it, which I’d doubted before.

I finished my final term at film school at the end of September, but by the time I officially graduated in the December, I’d completed by first novel. And by February, I’d started my second. Did I have a method then? Nope 😆 In fact, in the June when I went to visit my old high school and teachers, my English and Writer’s Craft teacher, Mrs. Knox, asked me that question; “What’s your method?” I legit remember replying, “I didn’t know I had a method.” 🤭

I think when we start out on this journey, when we start writing, we really don’t know, and that’s okay! It’s a journey of discovery. It’s taken me 17 years to hone my own method—and that’s just me. Every writer is different, and has a different journey. It’s okay not to know when you’re a newbie writer. And that’s half the fun…figuring it all out 🧭

So, what’s your method, Evelyn?

Honestly, it’s still a little bit of what I used to do when I started out; I just write.

When an idea comes to me, it’s usually a random scene from the story. It’s very important for me to get that out, so I open up a Word Document and just write it. But that is also part of my method: I’ve used Word my entire writing career. Though I have a lot of thoughts on not being able to buy it outright like in the past, I still default to it because being a writer means being a fickle creature that needs that familiarity. Besides, most agents and editors use Word.

But that’s part of the method as well; the familiarity. I use Word, but I also tend to want to use my laptop, despite having a PC as well. This is because when I first started writing, I didn’t have a PC, nor did I have a desk. I used to write in my bedroom, sitting in my bed. So, I tend to be the most creative when I duplicate those circumstances, down to even being in a room with the walls painted the same shade of lavender as my childhood bedroom. That’s just part of my method.

So, once that scene is written down, then what? Then comes me brainstorming what the rest of the story is about, outlines, and research. I get down to the nitty gritty, figuring out all the technical stuff, reading what I need to read, so I can just write later.

Again, this is stuff I figured out as I went along on my journey. I did try writing at my desk, both with my laptop and my PC; it just wasn’t the same 😕 I tried writing at a cafe, too, since many writers find that to be a great place to write. It also wasn’t the same. Even sitting out on my couch is just not the same, which is why my mum has suggested replacing our tattered old sofa in the living room with a daybed. And, you know what? I’m gonna try it! Cause it may work for my method. Hey, it may work better for my method. But I won’t know until I try it out.

I know there’s a lot of pressure to be the best and know what you’re doing right out of the box, but it’s just not realistic. Writing is a discipline, just as much as any other art form or skill. You learn by doing, by exercising that muscle and also figuring it out as you go. That’s the short and skinny of it.

So, what’s your method? Are you still figuring it out? Did you find anything useful in my post? Leave a comment!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 We’re gonna shake things up a bit this week, and I’m going to be posting yet another blog tomorrow in the a.m.! So, keep your eye out for it, but I’ll make sure to post the link on my socials when it’s live.

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

Happy writing!

xE
To Outline or Not to Outline? How to Be a Plantser and Write a Book

August 27, 2025

Ah, the age old question—do I need an outline? 🤔 The short answer is no. The long answer is yes. Let me explain…

Despite what you’ve heard, there really is no “right way” to write a book. In the end, you’re an artist and each artist has their own method/process. But I will tell you that outlines make writing easier. Well, rather, it makes completing your novel easier.

⚠️ I want to add that this mainly speaks to writing with the intention to seek out representation & traditional publishing. If you are writing just to write, you do not need to do any of this…in reality, no one has to do any of this or take my advice on it!

Ask yourself this: are you a Pantser (you write by the seat of your pants) or are you a Plotter (outlines)? I don’t think this surprises you, I’m a Plantser…I’m both! It’s very on-brand for me too, being AuDHD and all. I’m just a flurry of “both” & contradictions! 😆

But, Evie, how does one become a Plantser? Well, I just sort of fell into it. I used to be a Pantser. I used to sit down and just write and let the muse take me wherever it willed. This, unfortunately, led to those dreaded plot bunnies 🐰 and inconsistencies that then led to more work for me to do in further drafts.

However, when I started to do freelance work for interactive story apps, and then my eventual full-time gig doing much of the same, outlines were mandatory for the job, so I adopted doing them in my off-time, too. Mainly because it made life so much easier!

And you may think that the outline is incredibly detailed—absolutely not! That is why I’m a “Plantser”. I have a loose idea of where things are going, the important plot points, and then I sit down and I write.

So, how does one do this? It’s actually pretty easy, but it’s a bit time consuming. Let’s start with…well, where to start:

Pick a Method

When I say “method” I mean a way to write down your outline.

You can pick an actual program, like Milanote, where they have templates for this exact thing, or you can use Word/Docs, Excel/Sheets, a notepad program/app, or you can go old-school and write it down by hand in a notebook 📓. Choose whatever works for you. You can even try each of the interfaces to see which one your muse plays with best.

Know Your Genre

Now, I’m assuming you already know your basic storyline. What genre are you in? What’s the length/word count for a novel of that genre in the industry? Are there any particular beats or plot points that are key to this genre? This seems very specific, but knowing these things, especially in the case of going the route of trad publishing, is going to help you sell your idea when it comes to querying. *It should also be noted that a lot of agents will reject a query based solely on the word count; if it’s not the industry standard, it’ll be harder for them to sell.

For instance, most romance novels fall in the 80k range. It’s a very good number to aim for, pretty comfortable for a novel. I’d say an average chapter is around 2500 words. That gives you approximately 32 chapters. This is just an idea of how long your story needs to be and how to flesh it out to meet the mainstream expectation.

Write the Outline

Now that you know your approximate length, you can work out per chapter your story beats and plot points. This is no way has to be super detailed. All you have to do is write down what happens, like:

✍🏻 Chapter One: opening scene, MC receives phone call from friend about Love Interest.

Now, one can break this down even further and be more meticulous about the flow and progression of your story, following the standard Three-Act or Five-Act story arc. This is generally used in screenwriting, but it’s one of the tools from film school that I still use today (see image below).

Image source: ScriptStrategy.com; click image for link.
Take those 32 chapters and break them down into their respective acts, pinning down the exposition, inciting incident, rising action, the climax, and the resolution, slotting them into their “act”. I utilize the 5-Act structure, as it works best for a long-form fiction novel. You can also bump up the chapters to make them divisible by 3 or 5, so 33 and 35, respectively, if that makes things easier.

Again, your outline doesn’t need to be extremely detailed. Just a point or two, summing up what’s going to happen in the chapter. And this is where being a Plotter crosses over with Pantsing: nothing is concrete.

You can move things around, add or subtract things as you go, as you write. This is why I’m saying just a point or two, because it gives a little direction and nothing else. You then write that chapter as the muse tells you to write it. This might mean your outline is going to change and go through different iterations—and that’s okay! That’s part of the process. You can say that in chapter 8 you’ll have the inciting incident, but maybe that changes to 7 or 10, depending on where your story is going.

So, though it seems that outline is rigid and doesn’t leave much wiggle room, it’s really just a guideline. It’ll also help weed out the pesky plot bunnies 🐰 and keep your story coherent. You also won’t forget to add things…cause it’s right there, on the outline.

And I’ll say it again, this is not the “right way”. There is absolutely no right way to write. This is just a tool in the box that if it resonates with you, you can totally use. It’s the same as some writers need total silence and no distractions while some need a playlist, an actual soundtrack to write their story. Obviously, I’m a little bit of both 😆

So, which are you? Are you a Plotter, Pantser, or a Plantser? Let me know in the comments! 😊

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 We’re back to a Wednesday post! But I may keep both Wednesday and Thursday mornings as an option, as posts seem to do well on those two days at that time.

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

xE
How to Not Get Discouraged as a Querying Writer

August 22, 2025

This one certainly goes in hand with my last post—rejection is tough to take, but how do you not let it discourage you?

First, I’m gonna say that it’s totally valid to feel that discouragement. It’s tough chasing your dreams, and even tougher when that dream is to be traditionally published. Querying is a rough gig. There’s no two-ways about it.

It’s hard to see through the sea of Nos ❌, especially if you keep seeing other writers celebrating their big Yes✔️. It’s easy to fall into comparing yourself, but you have to hold back on it. Your road to being agented isn’t like someone else’s. Some people it takes years, some people it’s in their first batch of queries. Most people it’s somewhere in the middle. It doesn’t reflect on you and your art, though I know it’s hard not to compare, especially when caught up in the discouragement and feeling sorry for yourself (again, it’s valid!).

And I know you’ve probably Googled how many rejections X author got before they got their offer, but something to keep in mind is that a lot of very popular authors now have been in the business far longer than social media has even been around. I’m saying this because the default is to check those really big names, like Stephen King or George R. R. Martin. But think about it, King first published “Carrie” in 1974…we’re talking about over 50 years ago now. You can’t compare to someone like that.

The business was different then. Even the content was different. And now we’re in the digital era, even worse, the Social Media era. So, it’s very, very, very different. You hear it all the time (usually from toxic family members): it was a different time. Well, it was! 😆 And now is very much a new frontier 💫

Like I said, it’s a tough gig. It’s hard to not feel discouraged when you dream so hard (and maybe even so big) for something. I mean, I’m speaking from experience…right now, especially, I’m very into my feels, very much discouraged. Hence the blog post, haha. I’m even trying, while writing this to figure out a way to get out of my slump and sally forth.

But it’s not easy.

The first thing that comes to mind when trying to comfort myself is that it’s a business. Like I said above, it’s not the same as when my favourite authors were just starting out. Second, I try to look at my accomplishments. This is actually something I’ve been working on with my therapist, in an effort to learn to love myself more.

When we try to perk someone up who has a low self-worth or self-esteem, we often pick attributes we can see, that are tangible. Nice hair. Nice smile. Maybe offer something about their personality, and usually what benefits other people or what they would like. But when you’re at your lowest, you know that not everyone sees these things, and it may not be what you truly value. It’s subjective, in most cases. It’s the things that go unseen and benefit yourself that you should really love about yourself, anyway. In my opinion!

For me, it’s my resilience and strength. I fought really hard while I was an indie author, trying to pave my way for my dream to eventually come true. That in itself is commendable. Then when everything went bad and I was left on Rock Bottom™️, I still dug deep and kept pushing forward. Sure, I lost my will to dream and had an existential crisis (🙃), but through working on myself and rebuilding, I’ve come back from it. It wasn’t easy, but I’m here, I’m standing, and I’m ready to pursue my dream once again.

And maybe that’s the encouragement that I need; I’ve pushed through before, even when I thought there was nothing left. Turns out there was, or else I wouldn’t’ve completed my latest manuscript. And maybe that’s what you need, too? Maybe you just need to realize that you’ve come this far…you can keep going. I guess that’s all I can really offer, since I’m in the same boat 🚣🏼‍♀️

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 And apologies for being late—I’ve mentioned on socials, I’m chronically ill (endometriosis). If you have the lady plumbing, you know that certain pain that makes you question if your appendix is going kaput 😂 Especially since mine is the bowel variety of endo, you never really know. My medical team has informed me not to leave these things and get it checked out. Turns out, all is well, in that it’s not my appendix. So, this is good 👍🏻

If you enjoyed this post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

xE
How to Handle Rejection as a Querying Writer

August 13, 2025
I mean, that’s kind of the name of the game when you enter the Query Trenches™️; not every agent is going to connect with your story, just the same as not every reader is going to connect with it. It’s a harsh reality, and you have to grow a thick skin very quickly.

Having said that, it’s not easy. It’s not easy being told “unfortunately” over and over. And no matter how many pretty words they attach to it, telling you that it’s a good story or that you’re a talented writer (I’ve heard both, many times), it still hurts to hear that rejection. Oh man, it’s even worse they say they know another agent will rep it…can they give me a name?? Cause I’m having the worst time finding someone! 😂

It’s a common mistake I see when writers start out with querying that they get discouraged to the point of rage. Believe me, I get it. It is frustrating. The number one thing you need to remember is not to shit on the agent/agency or process publicly. This looks so bad. You have your entire ass hanging out and the internet is forever, my friends. You will blacklist yourself so fast, it’ll make your head spin. Keep calm and keep it to yourself. Trust me on this!

So, how do you do it? How do you cope with the “no”? Number one, take a deep breath. Now, keep a level head.

There are some realities that you need to face:
1. There are many, many, many agencies out there. There are a lot of agents. There is no way you’re going to query absolutely everyone in the business, unless your genre is so niche only a handful represent it. Most genres have a hearty amount agents that rep them. There will be someone.
2. It’s a business & a long game. Due to the way of the publishing industry these days, and Gen Z in particular and their need for constant trends, a lot of us have an antiquated ideal of what it is to be a published author. Your story may be amazing! It may very well have that potential to be a best seller or an award winner. But trends are changing and agents need to adjust for it. It’s a business, after all. So, even though you wrote that sci-fi epic now, it might not be popular in the market, therefore harder to sell to editors and publishers. Agents have lists based off of not only what they like, but also what is bankable. And it all takes time.
3. It’s also about luck. The idea of an overnight or viral success is peddled to us, but often not reality. Everything is luck. The right manuscript with the right agent at the right time. Even the smutty romances that go viral, it’s all a matter of luck, getting the right people talking and spreading on the right platforms.
4. Agents are readers. They’re not going to just look at it from the business POV, they’re going to be like any other reader, and you cannot please everyone. Some are going to reject a query based on a vibe, a name of a character, or even just they don’t like the premise. They’re readers too, not robots.
5. An agent’s rejection, even multiple agents rejecting your story, says nothing about the quality of your work or the merit of what you’ve done. And it takes courage to put yourself out there to query a stranger in the industry with something you’ve created. It’s a big deal, and you need to give yourself kudus for it.
I realize this comes off like I just let those rejections roll off. I definitely don’t! In the past, I got to that point; you send enough queries, you get used to it, that skin grows thick. You get confident. Plus, I knew the industry from working in the indie sector. So, I knew that I just needed to wait it out. Obviously, that didn’t happen! Haha. Circumstances changed. I am no longer the Confident Writing Queen 👸🏼 who can handle those rejections so easily.

In fact, just the other day, I saw a bunch of writers on the Former Bird App announcing they were offered rep—which is so amazing! It made me sad though. These agents who are now repping them were ones that rejected me recently. It stung more than I thought it would.

But you know what made me feel better? It was actually another post I saw from another writer who also got an offer of rep. They signed up for the annual of the pro for QueryTracker in August/24. Just days before it was set to auto-renew, they got their offer! I found it so funny. But it shows they had at least a year of querying before they got that offer. How many rejections, how many nos did they get in that time?

So, a few things to remember:

One, take that deep breath. I know it sucks, but you won’t run out of agents to query, I promise.

Two, don’t let your frustration get the better of you. Agents ask for your socials and will check up on you. If you trash talk another agent or the process, generally acting like a sore loser or sourpuss, they’re not gonna want to rep you or be affiliated with you. The internet is forever. Remain professional, and take the rejections with dignity and grace.

And three, don’t take it personally. Art is subjective. Writing is art. Just because one agent doesn’t like it, doesn’t mean all are gonna feel the same. If you’re passionate about writing and being a writer, just focus on that, on visualizing that. Someday you will be someone’s favourite author. Just remember that!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 I’m not sure when I’ll post next—my Friday one last week didn’t do well when it came to traffic. So, I’m still experimenting to find the best schedule. It may be a little all over the place until I figure out my butter-zone!

If you enjoyed the post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. Don’t forget you can also subscribe and be notified of my new posts ☺️ My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too.

xE
What to Have Ready for Querying Literary Agents

August 8, 2025
So, there are three methods for querying an agent these days; e-mail, contact form on the agency website, or QueryManager.

Gone are the days of snail mail queries, and most writers know or should know that ⚠️REPUTABLE AGENTS DO NOT CHARGE READING FEES⚠️. No literary agent is going to charge you ANY amount of money for you to query them, and it’s also very shady for them to pitch you other services, too. If you want to double check on an agent —and you always should before querying— Google their name, peruse subreddits, AND check the comments on QueryTracker (#notsponsored lol).

I am also going to suggest signing up with QueryTracker, especially because most agents are using QueryManager. You do not have to pay for the full subscription. I don’t (though, I’m considering it…tbh lol). QT is just nifty in that it makes tracking those queries, even ones off QueryManager, like e-mail, easier. They don’t get lost or fall through the cracks. You know if/when you need to followup.

QT also gives the option of their weekly newsletter with agent updates. This will update on new agents, agents opening or closing to queries, agents changing agencies/positions, and agents updating their genres. It’s a pretty epic asset when in the Query Trenches, something to add to your little Swiss Army Knife, along with MSWL, and Writer Beware.

Obviously, it’s not really the platform that’s used, it’s the agent you query that depends on what materials you need. But let me break it down for you, what I have in my arsenal:
1. Query Letter
  - This is pretty obvious lol There are many, many blogs on how to write the perfect query letter. I don’t know if mine is perfected or not; I have considered paying to have mine critiqued, but I have noticed that most agents kinda agree on the same structure via their sites/blogs:
    Salutation,
    
    Short, opening paragraph with a small bit of personalization for the agent—it doesn’t have to be much. Maybe mention something about their background/list, something about their bio that intrigued you. Segue into your next bit…
    
    Hooky blurb about your manuscript in the present tense (make it ACTIVE VOICE); describe the MC in a sentence, then the inciting incident. Describe how the MC is tied up into this/what are they going to do? What’s the conflict? Then add a final sentence that ends on an emotional beat.
    
    Title of your manuscript, word count, genre, and 2-3 comp titles; comp titles should be within the last 10ish years, and I’ve seen agents being lenient about adding films/music for atmosphere. Also, mention if it’s a series/series potential.
    
    Short bio, credentials, if any. A little about you! 🙂
    
    Sign off; thank them for their time and consideration. Add all contact details.
2. Synopsis
  - Now, you might have to make a few of these! Haha. This depends on the agent, but there are 3 lengths they usually ask for:
    One page or less than 500 words; this one is the BEST one to use for QueryManager. You cut out all the fluff and get to the main points of your story—and remember, these synopsis are the nitty gritty, all the spoilers, exactly what your story is about. You don’t waste the agent’s time. Down to brass tax!
    
    1-3 pages; this gives you a little more lee-way. You can add those details you feel may add a bit more context or may be a bit more hooky. Still try to keep it under the 3 pages because the faster they get through it, the faster they can get to a partial or full request.
    
    3-5 pages; this is giving every detail you can. I don’t see these much anymore. Truth be told, I mostly see the one page/500 words one!
3. Sample Pages
  - Again, you are going to have MULTIPLE documents for this lol here is what is in my Query Folder:
    First 5 pages/First 10 pages/First 20 pages/First 30 pages/First 50 pages
    
    First Chapter/First 3 Chapters/First 5 Chapters
  - Make sure you have the appropriate trigger warnings at the head of each document, along with the title and your name/pen name. Then you can just copy and paste—because for email queries MOST agents do NOT allow attachments! They want it pasted into the body of the email.
    For QM, you are also pasting, and you may need to fix some formatting, like adjusting the alignment if you have something centred or specially formatted.
  - IF an agent does want it via email or a contact form attached, double check how THEY want it formatted; they may want a specific font, margins, or page numbers.
4. Comps, Intended Audience, & Elevator Pitch
  - Like mentioned in the query letter section above, you want comparable books in your genre at the ready. Most agents want within the last decade, and probably well-known or moderately known ones. Having 3-5 is best; movies are also good in addition, as well as music. But in addition. Try to keep the main focus to novels that yours compares well too.
  - Your intended audience should cover things like, age, genre, even sex/gender; so, 25-65+ who enjoy books by Tana French, True Crime, or psychological thriller films of the 90s.
  - And, lastly, your elevator pitch is one sentence that is hooky and sums up your plot that you could possibly pitch while riding in an elevator. It has to be quick, to the point! You get on the lift with the agent, the doors close, and you have 30 seconds to pitch it and snag the deal before the agent reaches their floor. Most elevator pitches work best being under about 20 words. This article here on Jericho Writes is what helped me to write my own.
That’s mostly what you’ll need when you start trudging through. Oh, and of course, your final FINAL full of your manuscript! 😆

Breaking it down by platform once more (and in my experience):
- E-mail 📧
  - You’ll at a minimum need your query letter pasted in the e-mail body.
  - Query letter + Sample pages pasted in the e-mail body.
  - Query letter + synopsis + sample pages pasted in the e-mail body.
  - Query letter in the email body & synopsis + sample pages attached in same or separate Word Documents (agents discretion).
- Contact Form 💻
  - I’ve seen these go multiple ways; sometimes the query letter is pasted into the form while the synopsis + sample pages are attached in Word or PDF Documents. I’ve also seen the query + synopsis pasted into the form and the sample pages attached. Again, the agency’s discretion.
- QueryManager 📥
  - This has a basic form that includes your first and last name, email, and phone number, then website/blog, plus usually a social media handle (usually X/Twitter or Instagram), as well as asking if you’ve been represented before & if you’ve published before, and if so, who were the imprints/how many books sold in the first year. Your address may be in there, too.
  - Agents can add in other questions as well, whether it was a referral, your pronouns or preferred name, how you heard of them, why you want to work with them, or even your favourite TV show/movie right now—whatever they like to break the ice!
  - You then get your form for your query letter with the title of your work, approx word count, and a drop down that will have the genres THEY rep; make sure YOUR genre is in there.
  - Most of the time, they have the spot for pasting your synopsis, then below that is your sample pages, but they may want it attached (see last point).
  - Below that is usually where they add comps, intended audience, and the elevator pitch; there is also going to be a question about AI and if you’ve used it to write your manuscript (I hope you didn’t!).
  - They may also add extra questions at the end as well OR give you an opportunity to attach your sample pages or artwork even, if applicable.
And that’s the short & skinny of it! 😆 Well, as short and skinny as I could make it lol

On QueryManager, after you send your query, you will receive a confirmation email. If you send your query via email, most agents also have an automatic reply that confirms receipt, same with the contact form. You will also usually be given a time frame for response; 3 weeks is the shortest I’ve seen, with 6-8 weeks being standard, 3 months being usual to see, and up to 6 months not unusual.

If the allotted time of their ETA for response runs over, it’s totally okay to give a gentle nudge. But please remember that agents are absolutely flooded with queries on the daily…and they’re people, too. Yes, they should be equally as nice and respectful, but make sure you dish out how you want to be treated. It’s rough out there right now! Be nice 💛

I want to apologize for this post being a little later than the morning, as I anticipated—I noticed the previous featured images had some funky resolution. That just won’t do! So, all fixed, at least 😊

Next blog will be posted on Wednesday, August 13th. I haven’t really decided what to babble about, but I’m sure I’ll come up with something lol

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 If you enjoyed the post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment. I can’t believe that people are subscribing! I definitely appreciate it 🫶🏻 Don’t forget that my social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too. Oh! And subscribe! If you like lol ☺️

xE
How to Make Your Manuscript Query Ready for Literary Agents

August 6, 2025
This time the title isn’t clickbaity! 😆 And let’s get right down to it!

So, you’ve written your manuscript—first off, congrats 🥳 👏🏻 It might not seem like much, but it’s half the battle, and such an amazing thing you’ve accomplished! Really, I think writers underestimate what it means to write a story, especially a novel (50,000+ words). But what now? 🤔

Well, this blog focuses on what I’m currently doing, which is seeking representation with a literary agent to become traditionally published. So, what’s traditional publishing, why would we (or I) want to go that route, and why do we (or I) need an agent to get it?

What it is:

Traditional Publishing is when a writer works with a mainstream (or the Big 5) publisher—like HarperCollins or Penguin Random House—and the company produces and distributes the work. They handle everything, from the editing, formatting, cover, and world wide distribution aspect, to even setting up some of the publicity (pre social media, as they now expect you to have somewhat of a following for this to contribute). You don’t pay a dime into getting the book out into the world, in fact, they often pay a nice advance based on the potential of the book, and lock you into a multi-book contract.

Why you (or I) would want it:

Trad publishing is still seen as top tier…in most circles. You have a safety net of monetary sources with the best lawyers, the best artists, the best editors, even contacts to the best reviewers for the wee blurbs on your cover. There are certainly downsides, what with creative limitations, royalty cuts, and deadlines, as you are working more so for the publisher, not yourself. But without that lucky break in self or small press where you go viral, you don’t have much leverage, and may not go very far otherwise. *Of course, there are always exceptions!

Why you need an agent (for this path):

The big 5 publishers will not look at your material otherwise, unsolicited. A literary agent is the go-between. If you want to get into traditional publishing, you need an agent. No ifs, ands, or buts. Well, actually, there is an exception—go viral, much like E. L. James and Fifty Shades of Grey. Then you don’t need an go-between. I’m sure she had many, many offers thrown at her with all the hubbub around her series!

So, like I said, you’ve finished your manuscript! Now what? Let’s break it down…
1. Walk away.
I’m not trying to be funny…seriously, walk away from it.

Close your laptop (or walk away from the desktop) and leave it for two weeks minimum. I’ve seen writers suggest longer, but give it at least those two weeks.

And what do you do in those two weeks? ANYTHING BUT THINK ABOUT THAT STORY! Let your mind wander and just focus on other things, separate yourself from the world you just created; because, honestly, you were just so close to it. Too close! You can’t see the forest through the trees with how close you are to that story.

2. Edit

Okay, so the two weeks (or more) is up. Now what, Evie? You edit that bad boy! Open up a brand-spanking-new document, and an editing program of your choice. I use ProWritingAid. I paid for the annual subscription, which I find is definitely worth it (#notsponsored lol 😆)

The first go, I focus on spelling, grammar, repetition, and overused, weak adverbs—I want to nip the annoying stuff in the bud. And I go chapter by chapter, bite-sizes, making notes, and referring to any I made during the first draft. Cause, inevitably, you forget to add stuff or find a plot bunny or two. And that’s okay! Second draft is allowed to be messy. Third, fourth, and fifth is allowed to be messy, really.

Getting that second draft to the point where you’re happier with it is the key. And print it out while you go. Then you can go over that hardcopy and make adjustments off those edits in your third draft.

3. Rinse & Repeat!

At this point, it’s a rinse and repeat until you feel good about it!

You may need to go back to step one, where you take a break for a week or two to clear your brain of the cobwebs and separate yourself from the story again, but that’s totally okay! It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You need to be patient, unfortunately! *I want to add, you can totally pay to have it professionally edited, if that’s within your budget. In fact, if you got the funds, do it! Especially if you find an editor that offers developmental edits.

Alpha & Beta Readers:

Quick note on those glorious A & B Readers! Cause you will also want to tag someone to be your Alpha Reader before heading into Beta Reads.

An alpha reader is a bit different from betas…an alpha reader should be someone you trust to give you an honest response with a rougher draft, and that you take criticism/direction well from. For instance, mine is my mother. She’s been my alpha since day one when I started writing. If she doesn’t like something I’m writing, I can trust her to tell me honestly—and this has happened (to this day she hates that story lol). I also take criticism and direction from her well because I trust her opinion on my work.

An alpha reader needs to be someone that is going to tell it to you straight! They aren’t going to stroke your ego, but they aren’t going to be unnecessarily mean. They’re realistic and have a love for reading. It’s best that they like the genre you’re writing, but really, just that they enjoy reading in general (it makes it more passable). My mother is the type who will read just about everything and anything, but if she doesn’t like something, she will tell it how it is 😆

An alpha reader can also be the first eye to catch those plot bunnies before you send it off for beta reads!

Betas are usually a group of about 3-5 people who are within your demo for your genre that you trust to read and give feedback on your story. Just the story; you don’t need it on editing/grammar. You can then take the feedback and go back and adjust once more, into your final FINAL draft 😂

Is final FINAL the real final FINAL draft??

Um…maybe? lol this depends on the writer, depends on you! Again, leave it for another two or so weeks to let it percolate. Then I suggest giving it one last read through, preferably in a hardcopy OR format it as a PDF for a KDP eBook (I will link it below) and read it on your phone/tablet—this gives you a chance to see it as a book without it being published. This will help boost your confidence, as well as help you catch any edits you missed. It’s amazing what you can still miss after multiple sets of eyeballs going over the damn thing multiple times! *I may do a better blog post on HOW I format mine for a tablet for this.

And, even though you may be super confident, an agent may request the full of your final FINAL draft and still want changes made on it before making an offer of rep. That’s kinda the name of the game! You have to be okay with leaving wiggle room. You have to be okay with standing your ground where it counts, but also taking criticism from industry professionals who know what they’re talking about (most of the time!).

Next blog will be posted on Friday. We’ll go over what I have prepared for agents when I’m querying—because some of it is copy and paste!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 💜 If you enjoyed the post or other posts, please like, share, or feel free to leave a comment! My social media is also linked on the side of the page, so you can drop me a follow/like there, too ☺️

xE

Link to formatting for KDP: eBook. *You can save this as the Word Document, then send it to your Kindle eReader account. Alternatively, I think you can also upload to Google Docs and save as a PDF to keep the formatting, and read on your phone as a PDF document (I haven’t tested this out yet! Will report back!).

**Updates made on Friday, August 8th/25.