A word about titles

Titles, at the query stage, really don't matter. If I think you have a great title, hurray for us, we don't have to come up with a new one.

If I think your title could be better, I'll make some suggestions.

All of this of course is about as permanent as a summer sandcastle because the publisher has final control of the title. You love it, I love it, the editor loves it and B&N hates it: we're getting a new title.

That said, there are some things you should NOT use as book titles in a query:

Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet
To Kill a Mockingbird
Catcher in the Rye

In other words, don't use a title that is so very obviously associated with a great classic.

Sure, you can't copyright a title, so if you and Lee Child both decide to write a book called 61 HOURS it's hunky dory, but you really do NOT want to title your book something that's going to lead to obvious confusion. F for Phineas Flittergibbit isn't where most booksellers will direct buyers looking to buy Romeo and Juliet.

Take One!

This is fun and wonderful for a lot of reasons but the reason I love it is cause four of the five stars of this video started their publishing careers with us here at FinePrint. I'm just so darn proud of all of them!!

The new rallying cry of writers everywhere: NO! No! NO!

I'll bet you thought this was about e-book royalties and pricing didn't you?

Not a chance.

It's the next installment of Gary Corby's hilarious tips on making your word processing program work magic for you.

I was looking...at Gary Corby's blog

I was thinking this info about search/replace will be pretty valuable if you, like Gary, have a fondness for present participles.

This just cracked me up

How many agents does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Agent 1: Sorry, we're not accepting screw in light bulbs anymore. Bayonets only, and we only get them from the store.

Agent 2: We considered your light bulb but it's a bit too modern. Have you tried turning it into a candle?

A3: Loved your light bulb. Great light. Lots of illumination. Unfortunately, the agency's decided to remain in the dark indefinitely.


Rachelle Gardner's blog is the source of all merriment today.

If you are a writer, read this

I want to understand how it is that being by myself
with my keyboard is when I feel least alone.

That's from Betsy Lerner's blog. As is this:

I think one of the worst parts of being a writer is trying to appear normal. .... We are among you. Observing, sizing up, spying. Listening in on your conversation and writing down your best lines. We are having an affair with the grad student at the Blue State Cafe, telepathically of course.

I know Betsy is a fabulous agent because she represents two books that knocked my socks off: COLUMBINE by Dave Cullen and JUST KIDS by Patti Smith.