Last month, like many of you, perhaps, I deleted all of my tweets. The reasons to leave Twitter for good have been adding up for over a year, and while I still haven’t gone that far, the urgency to delete my tweet history was mainly because of this nonsense. (Note: If you’re into tech and AI and such, you don’t need to respond to me about it, thanks.)

For those of you who have been following this blog since its earliest incarnation back in 2009, I don’t need to tell you how crucial Twitter was to me while building my career, particularly in 2011-2014 when I was just starting to grow my own list as a literary agent. It continued to be a place that meant a lot to me, and to publishing, for at least a few more years, but we don’t need to get into all of that right now.

Anyway! I took the advice of other people doing the same Twitter purge and downloaded my archive first. Why did I have to do this? It’s still unclear to me. But then I started scrolling through some of them, and I realized a whole lot of writing advice just vanished, and that maybe some of it still matters. Not my random query tips about 2012-era YA, mind you… those are too dated to keep in circulation anyway. But I thought I’d compile some of the writing advice I’d given over the years that I often find myself repeating to writers now as an editor.

#AmWriting

“If your MC tells me he or she is funny, smart, badass, etc. & then proves it, you can delete the part where they told me. #writingtip”

“Knowing who your MC is off the page makes them more developed on the page. Who is your MC outside of the plot of your novel? #writingtip”

“#writingtip Knowing when to hold back is just as important as knowing when to be clever. Good writing means having control of your voice.”

“re: voice: Snark is not the same as wit. Sarcasm is not the same as cynicism. Sullen is not the same as “deep.” #querytip”

“Sci-fi writers: If you’re creating a future where the environment changes significantly, don’t forget to weave in subtle day-to-day effects it’d have on your characters. #writingtip”

“#writingtip If you’re writing “recent historical” YA set in 1980-2010 & you need more than two sentences to explain a throwaway pop culture reference, it is not worth it.”

“#writingtip In 1st person, avoid having too many sentences in a row that begin “I… [verb].” It gets boring & the reader can lose interest.”

“#writingtip Story is what happens on the page. Plot can’t rely on backstory, memory, or themes alone. It’s action that builds w/ a purpose.”

“This isn’t YA because I don’t want to add a romance” is a way-too-common thing I hear from writers who are clearly writing YA. And, uh, writers? It’s important to me that you know not all YA is romance. Like, at all. #writingtip”

“#writingtip If your query says “A year after [past event], the main character is now…,” then you should begin the book where they are now.”

“Writers: Believe in your idea & treat it with respect. If no one in the novel takes the plot seriously, why should an agent? #writingtip”

“Writers: “Good vs. evil” is very boring if it’s assumed the reader will root for “good.” Both sides need equal motivation & depth. #pubtip”

“Observation: “It felt like forever, but was probably a few minutes” is becoming the new “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.” I’ve seen it in almost every manuscript I’ve read recently. (A few published books too!) #writingtrends”

#AmEditing

#pubtip There’s no such thing as writing so well you won’t need to revise. Revision *is* writing. It’s a learned skill that turns hobbyists into professionals.”

“Editorial feedback & critique is about what works vs. what doesn’t for the story you’re trying to tell. It’s rarely, if ever, a matter of “bad vs. good.” #pubtip”

“#writingtip If it’s obvious who is speaking, you don’t need dialogue tags. Narrative is much cleaner when you remove unnecessary “said.””

“Writers: Read your work aloud. If you trip over too many words or poorly constructed sentences, it’s time to rewrite.”

“Writers: If you’re hiring a professional editor, make sure your manuscript is revised & as final as possible before reaching out. It’ll save you $$ and you get the most beneficial feedback that way. #pubtip”

#AmQuerying

“Writers: Beware of small presses that have more interns than paid staff & acquire more books than they publish. #pubtip”

“Note: “80% of YA is purchased by adults” does not mean YA is written *for* adults. It means it’s a very strong crossover market. #pubtip”

“Phrase I see a lot in queries: “____ must risk everything.” Try replacing “everything” w/ the thing that’s specific to your MC. #querytip”

“#querytip Keep phrases like “my book isn’t…” out of your query. I don’t need what it’s not, only what it is. Use positive descriptions.”

#querytip You did not write a crossover novel. You wrote what you *hope* will be a crossover novel. Readers are the ones who make that call.”

“Smart phones would ruin my plot” or “This is when I grew up!” are not good reasons for [making your novel] historical. #querytip”

“I will suspend my disbelief to an extent, but if your MC is the only one who can resolve a high-stakes plot, I need to know why. #querytip”

“Writers: Take that self-deprecating line out of your query. Stop sending an apology with your manuscript. Trust the strength of your ideas, even if you’re faking it for now. Don’t self-reject. #writingtip”

“My only real #querytip: As long as you follow guidelines (when given) & say what your book is about, you’re fine. Don’t stress out about it.”

---

Somehow these do not seem like nearly enough given how long I was on Twitter and how regularly I used it. But maybe all of the other tweets lost to time and algorithms are lost for a reason. Like I said, I’m not deleting my account completely yet, but I am no longer actively using it either. For future bits of writing and editing advice, and other fun stuff, I’ve been enjoying Bluesky. It’s quieter and friendlier and is about the speed I’m looking for in my social media use these days. Find me if you’re there too – @sarahlapolla.bsky.social – it’ll be lovely to see you!

Oh, hello there, friends. It’s been a while. I thought it was time for me to (finally) bring back my blog now that I have a whole new facet of publishing to talk about – editing!

To clarify, I am an independent editor who works directly with authors, not an editor who acquires for a publisher. This means that the way I find clients isn’t too different from when I used to receive query letters as an agent. I ask for sample pages, publishing goals, and ask some general questions up front to determine if the author and I are a good editorial match. More than just ensuring I have expertise in their genre, I try to learn more about the book itself and what the author’s vision for it might be.

This, I’ve noticed, is when I tend to lose authors. Some have ghosted me completely at the prospect of having to answer questions about their book and publishing goals. Others have replied in a vague way that reads as a cross between “how dare you?” and “omg what are you even saying to me right now?” This has become enough of a trend that I felt the need to dust off this blog and talk about what I wish more writers asked themselves before reaching out to professional editors.

Question 1 – “What do I want from a freelance editor?”

Knowing what you want from a freelance editor should be your first step in deciding to actually hire one. Knowing whether you need to hire one now is a different, but related, question. For instance, if you finally finished your first draft and you already know the exact chapters you need to go back and delete, or which plot holes you skipped while drafting, it is too soon to hire an editor. Do not spend money to be told what you already know. Beta readers and critique partners are excellent resources for early drafts. Use them.

Once you have a draft you’ve taken as far as you can take it yourself, think about your publication goals. If you are planning to self-publish, hiring a professional editor should absolutely be on your to-do list. Be aware that developmental editing (sometimes called content editing) and copyediting (sometimes called proofreading or line editing) are two different things, and may require you to hire two different people. Developmental edits should be completed before hiring a copyeditor. Basically, a developmental editor is going to get your manuscript looking like a novel, and a copyeditor is going to help you turn that novel into a polished, publishable book.

If you are planning to query agents and go the traditional route, hiring a professional editor is not always necessary, but you might still have plenty of reasons for wanting one. If you have not started querying agents, but you know you want to, a query critique or partial critique is likely the better option for you over a full manuscript edit. That said, I typically work with agented or querying authors on full manuscripts more often than I work with self-published authors, but in those cases, very rarely am I working on their first drafts.

Question 2 – “Do I know the average cost for hiring professional editors?”

This, perhaps unsurprisingly, is what leads many writers to disappear from my inbox forever. And, folks, if I do say so myself, it is not because I overcharge. I’m very much in keeping with industry standards and am sometimes on the lower end for professionals with a similar experience level. So when I see a writer run away when they’re reminded they are hiring a professional, and not just teaming up with a beta reader, I get it, but also not really. This is a business relationship and there are plenty of resources online to prepare you for the general ballpark that can be expected for the services you’re requesting. (This blog post will be one of them.)

Freelance editors will base their fees on a variety of factors. Length of the novel is a major one, but not the only one. A 60K-word contemporary YA, for example, may not take as long to read as a 100K-word adult sci-fi, but the time I put into approaching complicated plot issues or the number of conversations I have with the author throughout the process is usually the same. So, overall scope of the work and type of editorial service are absolutely kept in mind too. That said, size matters. (You heard me.) Longer novels will cost more than shorter ones, which I why stress the importance of reaching out to editors only after your own revisions are complete. It will save you money and ensure you are getting the most beneficial feedback for your money.

So, what dollar amount should you expect? Again, it depends, but I’ll give you a fairly wide ballpark figure for an average developmental edit for a novel: $1,800 – $4,000. If that made you reel back a little, better to get that out of the way now and not when an editor is expecting an answer from you. Could full manuscript services cost less? Of course. Could some cost more? Absolutely. The thing to keep in mind – so you don’t Kool-Aid Man out of an editor’s inbox and leave them hanging – is that it is far more likely a full manuscript service is going to be four-digits, not three. But the other thing to remember is that most fees aren’t due all at once, and payment splits can make an unexpected number far less scary.

Question 3 – “Am I prepared to receive professional feedback on my work?”

I went to a lot of writing conferences when I was an agent. Almost every author who’d sign up for a pitch session with me would say some version of “be brutal; I can take it!” I hear things like this from writers reaching out for editorial services too sometimes. Reassuring me that I don’t need to hold back. Writers, trust me, I never need that reassurance. If you are paying for my expertise, I am going to give it to you. That does not mean the same thing as “being brutal” though – not even a little bit – and I’ve noticed that the writers who do equate honesty with brutality are more often the ones unprepared for professional-level feedback.

Be honest with yourself about what you’re prepared to handle. Doing research on what editing is and what type of feedback to expect is a good start. Using beta readers or critique partners, or taking writing classes, are also good ways to get familiar with receiving comments on your work. I take a gentle approach with new writers, and sometimes I still get replies that make me wonder if they understood what being edited would entail.

Something else that can become very obvious very quickly is when a writer has no intention of revising, and therefore weren’t prepared to respond to actual feedback. Sometimes this is because writers convince themselves they should hire an editor just so they can say they hired one in their query letters. So as a former agent, let me say right now – this is a waste of everyone’s time, and you absolutely do not need to do this.

Hire an editor only if you are ready and willing to put in the work of revision. If you are looking for a quick “this is fine,” you are probably going to be disappointed in, or bewildered by, the editorial process. But if you are looking for a “this is fine, but this part isn’t yet, so let’s move some stuff around or approach it from a different angle so that it all makes sense the way you want it to,” then yes, please come aboard!

Some post-scripts (since it’s been a minute):

Please use proper channels to contact me for editorial services! See the Next Chapter Editorial website to connect professionally: https://www.nextchapteredits.com/

If you are a new reader and are curious about why I left agenting, you can read about it here: 2019: A Decade in Agenting. I am determined to bring this blog back at least semi-regularly, with a stronger focus on editing and craft, so please subscribe if you are not already so you don’t miss any of my (probably sporadic) posts.

One of the reasons blogging was the first thing to fall to the wayside during my career transition is that it can be just as time-consuming as writing an editorial letter, but not something I get paid for. I plan on keeping this old school and not turning it into a paid newsletter, but I added a “Buy Me Coffee” link in the sidebar and would appreciate the occasional show of encouragement. Thanks. 🙂

This little blog has slowly become a place where, once a year, I offer query stats. I didn’t know that 2018 would be my last year of A Year in Queries. And I really didn’t know at the time that 2019 would be my last full year of being a literary agent after nearly a decade.

It’s still slightly surreal to say out loud, but it’s true. My big 2019 news is that I have left Bradford Literary and my career as a literary agent. Starting in 2020, I’ll be offering freelance editorial services with my new venture, Next Chapter Editorial. I’m also going to continue teaching writing workshops, and focus on my own writing again (!). There will be more details – and an actual website – for my editorial services soon. Stay tuned!

If you came here for query stats or a hope that this post would be my announcement that I’m opening back up to queries, I’m sorry. You can cross me off your lists, but I hope you add a different Bradford Literary agent in my place! The support I’ve received from my BLA colleagues has been overwhelming, and I feel so lucky to have worked with these amazing women.

I’m not going to get too into my feelings about not being an agent anymore because I truly wouldn’t even know where to start. This was a decision that was both painfully obvious and managed to take me by surprise.

We read articles about burn-out and the importance of self-care all the time. They make us feel “seen” right before we keep scrolling to the next thing. The part of work/life balance that gets talked about less is what happens after you find it. When the anxiety and stress of trying to achieve that balance is no longer the thing occupying 90% your brain.

For me, not being totally consumed by work allowed me to view it as a job again, and not experience it the way I had been: as my identity. ::cue “Going Through the Motions” from Buffy::

Here’s what I know about me – I’m a good editor. I genuinely love teaching, advising, and problem-solving. These are the parts of being an agent where I’m confident and happy, but they are only a fraction of what makes a good agent.

Here’s what else I know – I might be a good writer. I don’t know this for sure yet, but I know I used to be pretty OK, so I’m looking forward to finding out if I still am in 2020.

Thinking like an agent isn’t going to be something I easily turn off and I hope I never do. I’m looking forward to taking it with me to my next adventure, and using that perspective and experience to help writers in new ways.

More from me soon, either here or Twitter or elsewhere (but let’s be real… probably Twitter). Thanks, everyone, for an amazing, bittersweet, and inspiring year. And if any of you need to bring this advice into 2020 with you, remember:

Two things I really wanted to be true in 2018 are what I had hoped for at the end of 2017 – to blog more and to not let the bastards get me down. And, well, I think I let them get me. I remain optimistic for 2019, but I’m going in cautiously and knowing how to use my time better, even if it means saying no more (something I forgot how to do in 2018).

I’m ending 2018 the way I like ending every year (well, at least since 2011) – letting writers take a peak behind the query curtain. My “Year in Queries” posts are always met with dread and fascination, but my hope is always to de-mystify the process while offering encouragement. So, let’s get to it!

As always, my annual reminder:

• I read and respond to every query I receive *except* these:
  • Pre-queries (emails writers sent to ask if they can query).
  • Not addressed to me. (This includes “Dear Sir/Madam” as well as addressed to completely different agents.)
  • Sent as an attachment.
  • Mass queries.
  • Non-Queries. Sometimes I get emails about published books (small press & self-pub) and I don’t know if it’s a query or a press release. Specify why you want an agent if your book is already published. Nine times out of ten, you probably need a publicist, not an agent, with these “queries.”

In those 5 categories, I received 364 queries.

This year I decided to take a brief query break in August. While closed, I received 80 queries (which were deleted unread).

Finally, in addition to those 444 queries that did not follow the rules, I received 174 queries in genres/markets I do not represent. I still answer these, so they’re included in the total stats. I’m also not the *most* strict about these (sub-genres are tricky, after all). For “do not rep” I only use what I specifically list as “no” in my bio. These include:

• Nonfiction (including memoir)
• Picture Books/Chapter Books
• Inspirational/spiritual novels
• Category romance and/or erotica
• Screenplays

OK – now for the fun stuff! Let’s talk about the thousands (yes, thousands) of you who followed the rules and queried me with awesome manuscripts in genres I absolutely represent!

Keep in mind, this post refers to queries only – aka, “the slush pile,” aka, “unsolicited submissions.” This does *not* include queries I received as referrals, requests from conferences or online contests, or previous R&Rs (Revise & Resubmit).

January: Total: 824; Requests: 6

*This figure is almost double of what I received in January 2017. I ended up receiving significantly more queries in February and March than last year too. I’m not sure why, but whoa did this set the tone for my shiny new, and longer, response time in 2018! Thank you for your patience, writers!

February: Total: 635; Requests: 6

March: Total: 476; Requests: 2

April: Total: 419; Requests: 2

May: Total: 397; Requests: 6

June: Total: 282; Requests: 2

July: Total: 322; Requests: 1

August: CLOSED (deleted 80 queries)

September: Total: 476; Requests: 6

October: Total: 337; Requests: 3

November: Total: 319; Requests: 4

December: Total: 224; Requests: 6

***

Total Queries in 2018: 4,791

Total Requests from Queries: 44

Total R&Rs Requested in 2018: 16

Most Requested Genres: 

• Horror (Adult, YA, & MG). My taste in horror is on the literary, character-driven side, meaning more atmospheric/creepy than high-octane slashers (though I’d be open to those too). I love a good haunted house, forbidden parts of town, unique mythologies/local legends that turn out to be true, and an ensemble cast!
• Contemporary/Realistic (Adult & YA). More often than not, I requested stories that focused on women and girls finding their voice/purpose in a bad situation. While I wasn’t exclusive to female characters, I should also mention that of these requests, these characters were not always white or straight (and usually neither). I hope to find even more intersectionality in my 2019 queries.

What I Wish I Saw More: 

• Upper MG (think ages 11-13) in all genres. Like with my Adult & YA taste, I lean toward character-driven stories, but I need a page-turning plot no matter what.
• Humor! Especially in YA, but I want humor EVERYWHERE. Even if you’re writing the most depressing grimdark dystopian nightmare imaginable, surely one of your characters will crack a joke to relieve tension, right? Don’t forget that characters are people. People are funny. People try to be funny. People find absurdity in unexpected places. Put that on the page.
• More rom-coms like Set It Up and Crazy Rich Asians. (YA or Adult.) I don’t do capital-r Romance, so if your book gets too hot & heavy, you should probably query my fearless leader & Romance expert, Laura Bradford instead. But I still love a good Austen-esque enemies to lovers relationship with complex protagonists who are intellectual equals and have goals outside of the romance itself. Massive bonus points for diverse casts and/or LGBTQ protagonists.

Total New Clients Signed in 2018: 4 – Sierra Godfrey (WF); Sarah Janian (MG sci-fi); Rimma Ojougboh (YA literary); Natalya Lobanova (Adult/Illustrated)

***

Now, let’s put those stats into perspective!

In 2018 (minus December), I received 4,791 queries. But keep in mind, of those queries, 618 of them did not follow the rules. A more realistic figure of how many queries I received is, therefore, 4,173.

It cannot be overstated how grateful I am to the 4,000+ of you (!) who put in the time, effort, and professionalism necessary to query. It’s often impossible to personally respond to each query (hence, form rejections), let alone take on more than a few new clients per year. But you are seen and appreciated.

It also can’t be overstated that agents want you to succeed! Rejections aren’t personal. You’ve probably seen this often enough in form rejections, and maybe it sounds trite at this point, but another agent really will have a different perspective on your query. What’s true for me might not be true for someone else, and the workload I can or can’t handle in a given month might be just what another agent has been hoping to add to their own list. Don’t give up, no matter what our stats tell you.

***