Authors and Writers

As the calendar turns and a fresh publishing year begins, we’re thrilled to celebrate three extraordinary new releases in personal growth that crossed our desks at Lucinda Literary — Intentional by Chris Bailey, Beyond Infidelity by Lauren LaRusso, and The Power of Guilt by Chris Moore — each of which showcases not just a unique […]

If you’ve ever felt uncertain about how to bring your memoir to market, Gretel Patch’s journey shows what’s possible when you match a powerful personal story with expert guidance and a supportive literary community. A mother of four, diplomat’s wife, lifelong storyteller, and valued member of Lucinda Literary’s Mastermind, Gretel has spent nearly two decades […]

Last night I gave a book event for Get Signed for the Aspen Writers Network, hosted by Aspen Words, the literary arm of the Aspen Institute. What I find so gratifying, as both an author and agent, is that even well over a year since its launch, this book continues to make writers feel positive and motivated about the […]

Some of the writers we’ve spoken with—especially those returning to publishing after time away, or tirelessly revising a beloved manuscript—have asked a difficult but vital question: What does it take to get my book noticed today? You’ve heard us say it: the book market is competitive. But if you’ve followed this blog for a while, […]

You did it—you got signed. Cue the confetti, then cue the questions. Because while “get an agent” is the headline so many blogs and podcasts push, the real story begins after representation. What exactly does a literary agent do after a book deal? Quite a lot. The literary agent after signing becomes your strategist, advocate, […]

You’ve asked, so let’s make this simple: how to choose book comps? If the road from idea to book deal is long and winding, comp titles are the signs that tell agents and editors exactly where you’re headed. A comp title is a recent, successful book your project can sit beside, chosen to prove audience, […]

Welcome to the final installment of my series, 7 Things ChatGPT Can’t Tell You About Publishing. We end with one of the most common and costly mistakes nonfiction writers make: sending an agent a full manuscript instead of a nonfiction book proposal. Why Sending a Manuscript Sabotages Your Chances This happens constantly. A writer, proud […]

Welcome back to my series, 7 Things ChatGPT Can’t Tell You About Publishing. As we near the end of this series, let’s talk about something deceptively simple yet profoundly important: the signals you send through the small details of your pitch. Too often, writers assume agents are evaluating only the story itself. In truth, we’re […]

Welcome back to my series, 7 Things ChatGPT Can’t Tell You About Publishing. So far, we’ve tackled four pitfalls I see time and again in query letters and proposals: Today, we turn to pitfall number five: the overwritten query letter. If you’ve ever worried about how to sharpen your query letter, whether because your pitch […]

We’ve already explored three of the most essential ingredients for a strong submission: how too much emotional weight can overwhelm a pitch, why personalization is the difference between forgettable and irresistible, and how researching agents ensures you’re landing in the right inbox in the first place. Now comes the next element, one that can either […]

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