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Title: THE WRITER’S WORKOUT
Author: Christina Katz
Pub date: Jan. 10, 2012
As many of you know, one of the books I consistently recommend is GET KNOWN BEFORE THE BOOK DEAL by Christina Katz. I personally believe it’s one of the best reference books for building a platform, let alone experiencing a good writerly experience. From the first page of that book, it’s evident that Christina practices what she preaches; that she wants to make sure other writers have the best experience possible with their own personal writing paths.
So imagine my excitement upon receiving her newest book, THE WRITER’S WORKOUT. Over the last week I’ve taken the time to read Christina’s book, and am extremely impressed with the thoroughness of its content. So much information is covered, with every single idea and suggestion very accessible.
You can read the book from front to back, open at random pages, or read the specific sections (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). It’s your choice. One entry a day = the perfect addition to one’s daily writing routine. Yet another reason to add Christina’s book to one’s writing reference library.
There is much to be appreciated about THE WRITER’S WORKOUT. The “sticky brain” approach, the 500-word dash, the suggestion of saving documents and blog posts that inspire you (to be read again later), honoring introspection (during the writing process), the benefits of “social artistry,” and more. Christina even includes various exercises for developing one’s book ideas, one’s network, and more. I especially like her “Take 25 Actions” exercise. (A great idea!)
THE WRITER’S WORKOUT is an interactive book that only requires you the writer, and a willingness to learn and execute new practices to one’s writing routine. In the long run, one’s writerly life will benefit from these exercises.
So, do know it should be no surprise that THE WRITER’S WORKOUT will be required reading for my future clients – and highly recommended to my current ones too.
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Last but not least, here are some pages I highly recommend from THE WRITER’S WORKOUT:
#14 – Solvency Plan
#19 – Culture a Body of Work
#21 – Writing Markets
#33 – Target Specific Markets
#38 – Dismantle Dismal Thinking
#49 – Awaken Your Senses
#62 – Lead Later
#81 – Serve Up
#83 – Unblock Yourself
#85 – Settle In
#107 – Prospect From Yourself
#110 – Dig Deeper Say More
#117 – Transform Impatience
#141 – Stockpile Resources
#144 – Stay Strong, Carry On
#177 – Don’t Rush Ripe (seriously folks, a must read)
#186 – Evaluate Your Visibility
#237 – Personal Not Egomanical
#266 – Keep it Professional
#280 – Benefits of Traditional Publishing
#285 – Benefits of Self-Publishing
#295 and #297 – Strut Your Social Side (pts. 1 & 2)
#308 – Go Global
#321 and #323 – Update Your Platform (pts. 1 & 2)
#364 – Flex Your Ideas
So enjoy! And go find Christina’s book, as it hits bookshelves this week! :)
Part of the job any person involved in publishing is staying aware of trends, constant research, and bringing a forward-thinking attitude. One way to ensure this happens is updating and adding to one’s publishing reference library. Hence, with every start to a new year I look for additional books to educate and inspire writers (and me). Forget New Year’s resolutions, I’m aiming to keep the publishing brain in sync with the industry.
Books I’d highly recommend you add to your library:
Spunk and Bite – by Arthur Plotnik
There are many reasons to check out this book. The primary reason being that its title is the perfect reflection of what one can gain from reading it. As an agent, I’m always looking for fresh, smart, NEW material. Writing with a little edge and “spunk” is the way to go about it.
One of my favorite discussions in this book focused on the element of surprise in writing; in that surprises are necessary; that they are part of being human. Plotnik goes on further to discuss how one accomplishes this feat; with very much an effective bit of advice for any aspiring author.
Other sections I appreciated in Plotniks’ book include: methods to avoid “geezer” writing, the avoidance of overusing words, the use of tenses (dead on!), and usage of tropes. In summary, Spunk and Bite should be required reading for anyone who claims to have aspirations of getting published. Especially if desirous of standing out amidst the many queries agents and editors receive.
Keep It Real – by Lee Gutkind
I couldn’t agree more with Lee Gutkind. As with anything one does, it’s better to be true to one’s self vs. manufacturing something that isn’t reflective of the creativity within. In addition, keeping it real means bringing a good business brain to a career of writing; which includes a meticulous plan and perseverance.
One bit of advice provided by Gutkind was the 5 Rs of Creative Nonfiction: a Real-life perspective, Reaching out, Research/Reportage, Reading, and ‘Riting. I won’t delve into all the details here, so check out this Keep It Real, let alone this section.
Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published – by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry
This is a great collaboration between Arielle and David. So much that I ended up writing in the book AT THE BOOKSTORE. As it’s a natural tendency of mine to write in the margins of books. When that happens, I know the book has struck a note with me. There are so many good things about this book, that do know it’ll be a regular book I encourage writers to read from here on out. So much good advice, especially on writer/agent/editor communication. In summary, add this book to you reference shelf.
And stay tuned, as I’m reading Christina Katz’s new book (I’m SO excited!!!)–to which you can expect more later about it. . . .
In September, Craig Thompson came to the Twin-Cities to speak at MCAD (The Minneapolis College of Art and Design). His newest work, HABIBI, had just been published, and many of us had long been anticipating his follow-up book to BLANKETS. To say this was a magical lecture would be an understatement. I’m still reeling from this book event – even two months after the fact. I know I’m not alone here.
This experience was so awesome, that I felt it would behest me share some of my notes regarding Craig’s thoughts on being a writer (& the overall experience), magic squares and easter eggs. Yes, easter eggs.
His thoughts on the Writing Experience:
Craig Thompson emphasized how Comic Art can be the best of both worlds – writing stories and creating illustrations. He reminded us that either would be a singular challenge; and that doing both would be doubly difficult.
Observing Craig’s process on how HABIBI came together was amazing. He implemented calligraphy throughout the book, going as far to state it was “music for the eyes.” So much that comics can be the figurative sheet music when one adds this special touch.
I especially appreciated his commentary of pen vs. pencil during the illustration process. He seems to prefer pen & ink, as it will “confirm” the words and images in one’s book, i.e. keeping the “mark” that’s been made. Irrevocably this process will take a writer one step closer to finishing a work in progress. Thereby, allowing the book (and art) to take a life of its own.
As one’s work-in-progress evolves, the next challenge is maintaining one’s personal life, of which Craig deftly handled that topic. Being a person who gets to work with writers, it astounds me that ANY writer is able to accomplish such a fine balance. From my point of view, creating a book (which is very private process) and maintaining life’s daily challenges amid the interruptions is an incredible feat.
Magic Squares
During his presentation, we learned that HABIBI was inspired by 1001 Arabian Nights. Craig wanted to write a book that was more political, more realistic. A book with a slight edge of fantasy. A book bigger than himself. He accomplished all of these goals; taking it a step further within HABIBI by reflecting “human ugliness and sacred beauty simultaneously.”
One of the tools in ensuring this success was the use of magic squares, otherwise known as mathematical narratives. Showing the audience a 3×3 square, Craig stated this was how he laid out the laid out HABIBI’s storyline. At that point, the crowd even seemed to do a breath intake.
Beyond. Amazing.
I won’t go into how this method influenced Craig’s overall writing process – just know we all agreed it was sheer genius. (I’m still in awe of this portion of Craig’s lecture btw)
Finding that “Easter Egg”
Have you ever attended a book lecture where the world seems to open up – and an entirely new perspective is imprinted on the brain? If not, I hope that day arrives for anyone who is reading this post.
My moment happened of clarification happened at Craig’s lecture; for many others in attendance, they stated the same thing. Yet again confirmation of the how incredible a writer Craig Thompson is; plus a piece of wisdom every writer should aspire to.
What is the “Easter Egg” in a book? It is a special hidden element that some readers will recognize and connect with on a hidden level. Maybe it’s a particular plot, character, theme, etc. The end result is the narrative reaching the reader at an entirely unexpected new level; becoming a catalyst in regard to one’s life decisions, reading habits, creativity and more.
Since I’m going to put everyone on the spot about this concept, it’s important that I mention my Easter Egg experience, which happened at the age of 14. The book was THE AWAKENING. It forever changed my outlook on adulthood, on major life decisions, on what one wants (or doesn’t want), and on the effects of societal influences. THE AWAKENING represented another important thing too; that the talented author, Kate Chopin, probably never imagined she’d polarize readers with her only published book– let alone never write another novel again. I could ramble incessantly about this book, and how it forever changed her life – and my own. Instead, I now realize it was my “Easter Egg” moment as a reader.
My question for you. . .
For readers: What are your Easter Egg moments with books? Did it happen in early childhood, or did it happen with maturity (as a reader, as a person). What was that book? What insights did you gain from it? Did others feel the same way?
For writers: Have you been able to connect to readers at such a level? Is your creative work reflective of only YOUR experience(s), or is there a universal appeal to readers?
I’m going to close out for now, as once again I have magic squares and easter eggs on the brain. What are your Easter Egg moments? And for anyone who has seen Craig Thompson speak, what was your experience like?
It seems that we’ve all had an extremely busy Fall – publishing and writer types alike. It’s hard to believe that even a few years ago there would be quiet lulls (in publishing) during any year. Yet as social media has evolved into an everyday part our lives – the pace is always hectic, with infrequent moments to escape the grid. Sometimes it almost seems that social media is driving the figurative bus vs. the folks it represents, but that’s another topic altogether.
Thus, I’m sending a gentle nudge (to everyone) to take the time in stepping away from this mad dash. For writers, their books will benefit. For agents and editors, our ability to think clearly and make sound decisions will continue. This is precisely why writers’ conferences exist. They exist to educate and inspire authors – and to remind those of us who love the publishing industry why we’re involved to begin with.
If anyone reading this blog has followed my agency for any period of time, it’s not required (on my part) that I confirm my belief that we all support and help grow our local writing communities. The process is easily accomplished by buying books locally, attending book events, creating new book events and writing opportunities, and forming a strong alliance & network for anyone who loves books & writing.
This Fall I was extremely honored to participate with the Women of Words Conference and the MN Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Both were wonderful experiences – and ones that I’ll never forget. So much that I was reminded again of the strength and vitality of Minnesota’s writing community. Plus, I got to learn a few new things myself!
After the fact, here are several things that come to mind:
1. As a writer it’s 110% essential one builds a strong network of fellow writers and publishing types to collaborate and interact with.
Any writer’s conference or writing organization can provide that needed opportunity. Especially since choosing any book publishing route can be a long, drawn-out process. Attempting to get published without a network is never a good idea; as there will be hurdles to overcome, which can be discouraging for any aspiring author.
If you need an additional reason, you should remember that editors and agents have always tried to support and communicate with one another – as we too know that the overall publishing world can come across as overwhelming. I’d hope everyone would follow our example.
2. Constantly educate yourself.
For anyone who has played a sport – or was involved in the creation of something – there is always a need to stay abreast of the newest information, newest ideas, and methods of perfecting one’s performance.
The same goes for writing. Any of us would hope that we improve in the craft of writing over a noticeable period of time. The best way to go about accomplishing this goal is participating (and even contributing) to writer’s conferences and organizations. Every student needs a teacher. And every teacher needs a refresher course – to which joining a strong writing organization or conference allows that opportunity.
3. Celebrate the small successes.
We all know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. If one compares his/her writing life to the growth of a large city, the overall general process takes time. . . and requires lots of patience.
Develop reasonable timelines for the goals you want to accomplish; whether it’s in regard to writing, building an author platform, and/or finding an agent. Try to not panic during the process – and most importantly take a moment to celebrate even the smallest accomplishments. I’d personally suggest a cupcake for each moment – but that’s me. 
What has your experience been regarding writer’s conferences and being involved in local writing organizations? What have you learned from the overall process? And most importantly, how are you sharing your experience with others?
I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
by Dawn Frederick
Right now I’m very excited about the 2012 happenings in my own literary/ publishing world. The mad dash begins in January – and I’m assuming the pace will be as equally interactive when 2012 rounds out.
To those who are saying “Hey it’s still 2011!?!” – I understand. Yet, in the world of publishing, one needs to think outside the present. Especially when determining when to take a book idea to publishers (who are usually buying books 1-2 years before they’re published), and being able to juggle the busy admin duties of “the sofa” during that time.
One of the newest additions to my calendar is teaching a class at the The Loft Literary Center next April. Instead of being a class intended for adults, it’ll be a class for older teenagers. The class will cover the business of publishing, as there’s an entirely new generation of aspiring writers. Many who grew up reading Harry Potter, Twilight, Diary of Wimpy Kid and more. They are avid readers, know technology (better than most adults it seems), and already bring a discerning taste on what they want to read. . . or write.
Going back to the reference of bringing a forward thinking mind to publishing - this new generation is already preparing to enter our literary world. Do you hear me everyone? These smart young adults are getting ready to navigate the figurative publishing waters.
Several reasons why this is awesome: Many teens are tech savvy. They also grew up in a time when the Young Adult sections doubled, sometimes even quadrupled, in titles offered. Plus, it’s normal for many teens to be running their own websites; some are already successful at it. (Do I even to start dropping names here?) And last but not least, these up and coming pre-adults are ready to learn how the cogs of publishing turn – ultimately hoping to learn how a book is published, how it reaches readers, and how to successfully & skillfully put an idea on paper.
Yes, timing is everything. And right now the time is to give the teens a chance to learn how and why book publishing thrives. My theory is that this time/value investment will result in a larger segment of readers and more books sold, as well as additional proof that publishing will never die – especially to some of the naysayers who believe such a myth.
Yes, I’m excited. But really my main goal is to share the same passion I had as a teenager. Forget zombie contagions. I’m all about the reading and writing contagion.
As Dr. Seuss aptly stated in “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.
Are those of us in publishing (from any role) ready? I know I’m excited to see what comes of these future adults. What about you?
One of the many benefits of the MN Publishing Tweet Up is a chance for bookish, publishing, and writerly types to interact in the most casual of settings – over a happy hour. During our newest installment of the Tweet Up, Dara, Art, and Jen started up a conversation on the general feelings of stress and self-doubt that many writers face during the writing process. The next day, Art wrote a blog on this, titled “The Three Blogging Hurdles Writers Face” – I highly recommend you read it.
If it’s okay with Art, I’d like to take this another step.
It’s time for your book to be pitched to editors. You’ve already found an agent who’s enthusiastic about it, and enjoyed the collaboration process of getting all the necessary materials fine-tuned in advance. Of course, some rejections will arrive, that is normal in the industry. Remember how many rejections received before meeting your agent? Eventually that agent read your book (and/or book proposal) and liked it. Liked it enough to add you to his/her client list. Trust me, this is a big deal. We don’t do this every day.
If the idea was good enough to survive the agent query process, you can survive the editor query portion of your book’s “journey.” My suggestions:
- Look at the rejections. What are they saying? Did the editors take the time state exactly why they turned it down? Look for a common theme(s). If there seems to be repetition in the reasons for the rejection, it’s worth considering the best ways to strengthen your book
based on those themes. Editors are just like agents, it’s rare they give loads of advice and/or reasons for rejections. Consider it a compliment if they go that extra mile. - Communicate with your agent – brainstorm about the book. If it’s not necessarily the writing or the idea, but maybe something as basic as building a platform that’s resulting in the rejections, then it’s time to get strategic. Taking the time to overcome those figurative hurdles can be used to your advantage. My advice? Don’t rush the process. But do be persistent. And of course read “Get Known Before the Book Deal” by Christina Katz. Read the book. Implement the ideas. Repeat the process.
- Never take rejections personally. What one editor likes, another may not like. That’s par for the course. Should everyone like all the same books? No. The fact that we all bring personal reading tastes to the table = rejections during the query process. Do I need to remind you how many rejections were received before finally meeting your agent? If every editor had the same taste in books, publishing would suffer. Readers would suffer too. So when you do receive that rejection, don’t beat yourself up over it. That was never the intention of the person who sent it.
To be frank, it breaks my heart when I see a writer overly stressed about the writing experience or the publisher query process. It’s one thing to be able to learn from the rejections, it’s another problem altogether when an author begins to doubt his/her ability to write. When this happens, I think back to my early days with Sebastian Literary Agency. Laurie taught me that an agent is the author’s champion & advocate. I took it to heart, because she was very correct; if we love our clients’ books, we’re here to make the overall publishing process a valuable (and hopefully positive learning) experience. That’s the most important thing to remember, no matter what happens.
This leads into too many other topics, so I’m going to stop here (for the moment).
Questions? Comments? What has your experience been thus far?
The newest Red Sofa Chats have been in the works for a short while, as my guest, Christina Katz, is writing a book! For some time I’ve made her book Get Known Before the Book Deal required reading with anyone who crosses my path. Being primarily a nonfiction agent, my own belief of a need for a strong writing platform is very much aligned with Christina’s approach to the publishing world. Especially for any nonfiction writers who aspire to be published.
Many thanks to Christina for joining The Red Sofa Chats!
Bio: Christina Katz is the author of the forthcoming Writer’s Digest book, The Writer’s Workout, 366 Tips, Tasks & Techniques From Your Writing Career Coach. She also wrote Get Known Before the Book Deal: Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform and Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids. An introverted extrovert and social artist, Katz holds an MFA in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago and a BA in English from Dartmouth College. She is a “gentle taskmaster” to one hundred or so students each year, distilling over a decade of professional writing and teaching into success strategies that help grow writing careers. Christina writes in a cottage near Portland, Oregon where she lives with her husband, daughter, and far too many pets.
Christina’s official website can be found here.
Twitter: @thewritermama
1. Why did you choose to become a writer?
I am not sure I chose to become a writer as much as writing chose me. I am a writer, which makes it hard to do anything else. I have other abilities and passions, but I try to weave them in with my writing career as I go along. This attitude seems to work for me.
2. I personally see you as an advocate for writers, providing them tools for a positive publishing experience. What motivated you to take this role?
I have a contradictory nature; I always have. On one hand I’m an introvert, which means I’m truly happiest alone in a room writing. However, I think of myself as an extroverted introvert. In other words, keeping to myself too much for too long makes me socially stupid. Therefore, I need to get out and circulate and soak in what’s happening. I also meet and connect with really interesting people this way. To complicate matters — or at least this used to complicate matters before the Internet age — I have some natural leadership ability, which means I like to motivate people to work harder and achieve more.
I think some of this is innate and some is learned from the wonderful coaches that I had as a kid and the series of mentors through my life. I played a lot of sports and was often chosen to be a team captain growing up. The tricky part is, and always has been, being able to continue growing myself while still helping others grow. Luckily, when I matriculated to college, I purchased one of the very first 124K Macs. Without all the Macs I’ve had over the years, I would not have been able to grow my career the way I have. Needless to say, I am very grateful to Steve Jobs.
3. What are you reading right now (for fun)?
Right now I am reading nothing for fun because I am writing a 100,000-word book, writing two new course curriculums, editing three old course curriculums, and creating a marketing plan for my next book.
However at bedtime my husband is reading my daughter one of my favorite books from childhood, “The Borrowers,” and I am listening in. I also combed through four shelves of books on writing, marketing, inspiration, and creativity to inform The Writer’s Workout. When I am reading for fun, it’s often nonfiction that is short and funny, like essays by Nora Ephron or Anne Lamott. I am probably not the most well-read person on the block. I also watch a little TV, enjoy movies, and know a thing or two about pop culture. I would make a lousy member of the literati.
4. Writers are frustrated about having to write and market their work. How do you manage all(the work) that being a 21st century author requires?
I go through two distinct phases in my book writing cycle: the writing phase, which is necessarily more reclusive, and the promotional phase, which is necessarily more social.
So I’m not very active at all on social networking right now, because I’m in an intensive writing phase. How could I be on Twitter all day and write a 100,000-word book at the same time? I can’t. I hop on and off again in quick bursts. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything, although I know that people are having fun on there. I value my attention too much to wholesale turn it over to Twitter or any other form of social media (except maybe Facebook).
5. How do you utilize Twitter? How do you believe it has changed the way we go about publishing books?
In the big picture, I see social media as a tool for social artistry, which is a form of leadership. Authors have to be conversant with all the social media tools without getting preoccupied with any of them. I don’t think that Twitter should change the way we go about publishing books, because only a portion of the population is on Twitter and I don’t see the day when everyone will be on it. However, Twitterers are the most tech-savvy, early-adopter, smart-phone carrying kind of audience, so naturally they are a very important and influential tribe.
Twitter has changed the way we spread the word about books, ideas, and everything else. I see social media as a suite of tools that can be used by creative people to do good things. It helps me keep things in perspective when I step back from online tools; putting them back to good use (without getting overwhelmed) when I am using them. When I’m not on social media as much, I don’t concern myself with it overly. I have plenty to do. I keep myself completely booked.
6. If you had a crystal ball, where do you think (or hope) publishing will be in 5 years?
I think we are seeing the effect already that “the long tail” has had on publishing (described by Chris Anderson in his book of the same name). The good news is that there is more pie available to the little guys, and the little guys now include authors and content curators. So imagine publishing not so much focusing around best-sellers, but focusing instead on the people who do and embody the coolest stuff. That’s where we are headed. We are already halfway there. Aspiring authors should not only be cultivating those all-important writing and selling skills (which they need), they also be asking themselves, “How can I take what I have to offer and do something cool with it using the tools that are available to me right now?”
I ask myself this question every day. It certainly keeps the creative pistons pumping.
This was wonderful Christina! Thank you so much! Let us know what you think. What has social media done for you? Have you read Christina’s books, and what have they done for you?
As the DFW Writers’ Conference quickly approaches (it’s in 5.5 days), I’m quickly reminded that it’s not just the editors, agents, and other publishing folks that get excited. The writers are even more enthusiastic. These conferences wouldn’t happen unless writers wanted to attend them, right?
Knowing this can be a nerve-wracking experience for some individuals, here’s a checklist of things to do and to expect:
1. Get lots of rest the days leading into a writing conference, as well as during the conference. Most conferences are at least two days long, sometimes longer. So much will be discussed in a short period of time, that it’s easy to feel exhausted and feel a sense of “information overload. ” The more rested the attendee, the better the experience. Trust me on this.
2. Try to make new friends. Oftentimes I’ve met individuals who travelled solo to a conference. It can feel lonely to not have a friend to discuss all the cool things learned while the conference is happening. Make a point of introducing yourself to the people around you, maybe get coffee together, maybe even dinner! It’ll significantly enhance the overall experience.
3. Writing Conferences offer the opportunity to learn more about the world of publishing, as well as the chance to get one’s book idea critiqued. This is supposed to be a positive learning experience. Anything above and beyond this will be the extra icing on the figurative cake.
4. A writing conference offers an opportunity to build (or add to) one’s network. This includes meeting other writers (whom you can discuss this experience with), to meeting individuals (who can help further expand your platform), and more.
4. Publishing folks are just like you (the writer). We put our pants on one leg at a time, have forgetful moments, love books, and more. If you do sign up for one-on-one consultations, try to not panic beforehand. We’re just as excited about meeting you. Don’t let the nerves affect an otherwise educational (and fun!) experience.
5. Enjoy the few quiet moments at a conference, when they are available. Remember my advice on resting beforehand? The same goes for those small periods of time during one’s conference schedule. With all of the classes, presentations, and lectures, it’ll keep the head clear. (I personally bring a book of crosswords with me wherever I go, as that’s my own personal method of clearing the head and “relaxing.”)
6. Most importantly, always remember if you happen to find an agent or editor (to work with) at a conference, fantastic! Otherwise, this is a great chance to get some fantastic advice from experienced publishing professionals, so that there’s a stronger success rate in finding an agent (in the future.)
For anyone that I’ll be seeing in a few days, know that I’m honored and excited to meet you! It’ll be a great time, and I promise to not drink too much coffee during the conference, and to get my rest in advance. :)
One of my favorite things to do every December and early January is restocking my resource guides for the agency. Not only is it a good idea to have the print versions of these books on-hand, it’s essential that such guides continue to be available for any aspiring authors.
I’ve mentioned many times of the need to do the necessary “homework” before querying agents and editors. By consulting the newest print guides AND the online guides (i.e. Publishers Marketplace), you’ll save time, money and hopefully frustration by reading and following the agent/publisher submission standards in these directories.
So enjoy! Trust me, you’ll be happy of the investment.
1. Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents – 2011 - This is one of my favorite resources, and one that I believe everyone should at least purchase before querying agents and editors.
2. Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz – This is required reading as far as I’m concerned.
3. 2011 Writer’s Market - Another good directory to consult before querying agents.
4. Children’s Writers and Illustrator’s Market 2011 – A great companion to the other directories, especially due to the children’s publishing-related information that’s provided.
