Your Author Website

Consider putting up an author website before pitching agents. If I decide to represent an author, or work with an author as a freelance editor, and there is no author website in place, I always make sure one is in place before that author goes out on submission or I begin to submit their work to editors. A website gives us professionals in the industry a landing page to establish who you are, and see what you're about as a person and writer. 

Also, be sure to update this website before going out on submission. Make it appear that you are active, warm up the room a little before you invite people in. You can take my blog here, for example. I haven't posted in almost two years, or more, it looks like! But when I want to start shopping for an agent for my own next book, I am going to want my socials and website to appear with some vibrancy and not look dated, which my website does. 

But I'm worried about you right now, not me. 😊

If you are unsure about putting up a website, I always suggest branding yourself over your book title, because your book title might change. If you want to get some ideas for a good author website, check out Xuni.com. Maddee only works with writers, so her websites are very publishing focused. You may even find some of your favorite writers there. Even if you just look over a few websites, you'll start to get some ideas and a sense of what should be there, and what appeals to you (and doesn't). 

But most important, is to be sure your website and socials are as updated as they can be, with some activity for at least a month or two, leading up to submission. For many writers, they've been working on their platform for years, but there are also many who have just finished their manuscripts and haven't focused at all on the business end of things. I know the business side is daunting, and you may not have it in you to do much more than a website, but a website does matter and count. 

And yes, in this business, it's "fake it till you make it." The website can come before finding an agent or publishing. To us, it just looks like you are serious about what you're doing. There is so much competition out there, that it's important to do as much as you can to be visible, so you'll have the best chance at finding your readers and best-selling success. 

Elizabeth Kracht 2022 Events

Here is a list of where to find me through September of 2022. I'm offering a few virtual and in-person events, and I'll be at a few conferences as well. I hope to see you at one or more!

2022 CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE – ELIZABETH KRACHT

 

June 11^th (Virtual) Book Passage Bookstore “How to Find a Literary Agent” https://www.bookpassage.com/event/elizabeth-kracht-how-find-literary-agent

 

June 16^th at Santa Cruz Public Library “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers” https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/9128665

 

June 18^th (Virtual) Book Passage Bookstore “How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal” https://www.bookpassage.com/event/elizabeth-kracht-how-write-nonfiction-book-proposal

 

June 23^rd at Santa Cruz Public Library “How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal” https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/9128705

 

June 25^th (Virtual) Book Passage Bookstore “Self-Editing for Fiction and Memoir Writers” https://www.bookpassage.com/event/elizabeth-kracht-self-editing-fiction-and-memoir-writers

 

June 30^th at Santa Cruz Public Library “How to Find a Literary Agent” https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/9128707

 

July 21-24 San Francisco Writers Conference https://www.sfwriters.org/2022-conference/

 

August 5-7 Book Passage Mystery Writers Conference https://www.bookpassage.com/mystery

 

September 2-5 Oklahoma City WriterCon 2022 https://writercon.com

 

September 23-25 (Virtual) Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference https://www.pnwa.org/event/2022Conference

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Big Wild Love: The Unstoppable Power of Letting Go' Releases

Congratulations to my author Jill Sherer Murray whose self-help book Big Wild Love: The Unstoppable Power of Letting Go just released. Jill's book is based on her wildly popular TEDx talk that has garnered over two million views where she tells the story of letting go of a long-term relationship to find the love she not only wanted but also deserved. If you are ready to put in the work to find the love you want, Jill's book is for you.

For more information on the book, click here.

To watch Jill's TEDx talk, click here.

Nonfiction Authors Association Interviews Literary Agent Elizabeth Kracht

I was fortunate to be able to participate in an interview with the Nonfiction Authors Association where I answered questions about the submissions process and aspects of traditional publishing that aspiring nonfiction authors may want to know.

To read the full interview, click here.

To learn more about the Nonfiction Authors Association, click here.

Midwest Book Review of The Author's Checklist

I'm excited to share the Midwest Book Review of The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript. My review is housed under "The Writing/Publishing Shelf," so there may be other interesting writing books reviewed alongside of mine.

To go directly to "The Writing/Publishing Shelf," click here.

Otherwise, please enjoy the review of my book below:

Synopsis: The bad news for all aspiring writers seeking to get their work published -- even really good manuscripts have weak spots that are enough to garner rejections from agents and publishers. But the good news is that most of these problems are easy to fix once the writer sees and understands them.

After several years of evaluating manuscripts, literary agent Elizabeth Kracht noticed that many submissions had similar problems, so she began to make a list of the pitfalls. She has compiled those observations into "The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript" and offers her short, easy-to-implement bites of advice, illustrated by inspiring (and cautionary) real-world examples.

Most aspiring authors yearn for a friend in book publishing. "The Author's Checklist" is just that.

Critique: Expertly organized and presented, the information, observations, insights, and information comprising "The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript" will prove to be an invaluable and practical resource for the novice author and even the seasoned professional. An ideal addition to writer workshop supplemental studies lists, "The Author's Checklist" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections.

Editorial Note: Elizabeth K. Kracht is a literary agent with Kimberley Cameron & Associates and a freelance editor. She often participates in writers' conferences nationally and internationally.

Marin Independent Journal Interviews Elizabeth Kracht

I had the opportunity to interview Colleen Bidwill of the Marin Independent Journal about the release of The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript. 

To read the full interview with Marin Independent Journal, click here. 

To learn more about the book, click here. 

Give Your Manuscript 'Agent-Ready' Polish by Craig Allen Heath

Love this review of The Author's Checklist by Craig Allen Heath on Medium.com. 

In the review, Heath says, "Every writer who cares about craft has a selection of resources on their desk: Dictionary, Thesaurus, style guide, perhaps Margaret Atwood’s On Writers and Writing or Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing. Elizabeth Kracht’s The Author’s Checklist belongs on that shelf, nestled cheek-by-jowl with past greats. It’s a working book, a fine tool to be used on each and every manuscript, to give it the shine it deserves just before we send it out into the unforgiving world of publishing."

To read the full review, click here. 
To read more about Craig Allen Heath, click here. 
To read more about The Author's Checklist, click here. 

Author Christina Kaye Interviews Literary Agent Elizabeth Kracht

Really enjoyed this interview with the lovely Christina Kaye--editor
and author--at Top Shelf Editing. We talked about my new book
The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and
Editing Your Manuscript and some of the things that garner
rejections from agents, such as slow pacing.

To listen to the interview, click here.

Criminal Element Reviews Felicity Carrol Series

Congratulations to my author Patricia Santos Marcantonio for the review of her Felicity Carrol Series in Criminal Element.

To read the review of Felicity Carrol and the Murderous Menace, click here.

Elizabeth Kracht Interview on 'The Simplifier Podcast'

I had a great time interviewing with Mary Baird-Wilcock on The Simplifier Podcast. Mary's listeners are largely made up of entrepreneurs, so we spent some time talking about how writing a book might benefit someone's brand and the first steps to consider when writing a book. We also talked a little bit about my newly released The Author's Checklist: An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript.

To watch or listen to my interview on The Simplifier Podcast, click here.
To purchase The Author's Checklist from an independent bookstore, click here.
To purchase my book from Amazon, click here.

Elizabeth Kracht on "Authors On The Air"

Take a listen to my interview with the amazing Pam Stack! We had a great time talking about book editing. To listen to my interview with "Authors on the Air," click here.

NaNoWriMo Webcast February 6, 2020

I'm looking forward to partnering with NaNoWriMo next week to offer a webcast for authors on how to develop and edit their manuscripts.

Set your calendar for what should be a lively and informative event.

For more info, click here.

3 Mental Blocks Keeping You From Doing What You Want

My author Dr. Amanda Crowell was featured on IDEAS.TED.COM. They were particularly interested in those mental blocks that keep us from accomplishing those things we want to.

Take a look at the article on IDEAS.TED.COM, by clicking here.

To see Amanda's TEDx talk, click here.

Patricia Marcantonio's FELICITY CARROL AND THE PERILOUS PURSUIT

VERY excited to reveal my author Patricia Santos Marcantonio's cover for FELICITY CARROL AND THE PERILOUS PURSUIT, due in mid February through Crooked Lane. The perilous pursuit begins when Felicity's mentor Lord William Kent is murdered at the British Museum by medieval crossbow, where she learns the assailant has also stolen a priceless manuscript of King Arthur lore. Felicity is compelled to uncover whether Lord Kent was a target or merely in the way?

PNWA Conference Success!

I had a successful PNWA Conference. Not only did I meet with six editors, but I heard pitches and gave my talk on what to check in your manuscript before submitting to an agent--to a standing-room-only crowd. 

As a freelance editor and agent, it's rare to see a project that doesn't need a minimum of four revisions. Most agents don't have the time to devote that kind of editorial work to a project. This is what inspired my class and editing guide.

I'm working hard to get the book version of my editing guide out soon, as I truly believe it will help bridge the gap between what authors think is ready in a manuscript and what an agent does. 

Every manuscript has an Achilles' heel--or two--and oftentimes there are simple fixes. It's my hope that the editing guide will help bridge the gap and help authors reach their publishing goals, whether it's to get an agent, editor, or indie publish.

Writing and Symbolism

Like life, I like writing rich in symbolism. In researching for a ghostwriting project, I came across this list of communication symbols. I'd take it one step further and improve on these. Study your symbols and come up with truly unique meanings. Seeing crow as a bad omen isn't unique (or even interesting). Find truly unique characteristics if you want your work to stand out--and apply to your similes and metaphors; liken something to the characteristic of a symbol that I've never considered. Focus in, don't be broad. What do the Egyptians say? What about the Greeks? How about Ted Andrews of Animal Speaks? Challenge yourself.

40 Visual Symbols Every Communicator Needs to Know

Elizabeth Kracht's 2018 Conference Schedule

I wear two hats in publishing: literary agent and freelance developmental editor. If you want to pitch your book to an agent, these are the conferences I'll be attending this year: ThrillerFest in NY in July; Antioch Writers in OH in July; Willamette in OR in August; PNWA in Seattle in September; Book Passage Mystery Writers in CA in late September; and Walla Walla, WA in October. 

I have found more than fifty-percent of my clients through conferences.

Special Offer for Black History Month

I wanted to take a moment and share my author Danny Gardner's historical thriller for Black History Month--the ebook is just $2.99, though this is one of those books I'd rather have in hand. Danny is a meticulous historian whose books cover the period of 1950s Chicago. When I talked to Danny on the phone last, we talked for two hours about the heartbreak of his latest research for book two in the Elliot Caprice Series, which I'm so looking forward to reading. I wouldn't do our conversation any justice by trying to describe its contents, but my worldview has vastly grown for conversations with Danny, and I feel his work is important.

To read more about Danny and his work, click here.

To buy Danny's a copy of Danny's book, click here.

New England Patriot Nate Solder & Son Hudson

New England Patriot Nate Solder's son Hudson is fighting a rare kidney cancer.

Sports Illustrated just did a story on Hudson and the Solder family's journey with cancer.

To watch the Sports Illustrated video on Nate and his family's story, click here. 

I am currently shopping Nate's book--HUDSON'S HOSPITAL BAND--to help raise awareness and money for children's cancers.

Please also consider donating to The Jimmy Fund.

Mia Thompson's Sacrificing Sapphire Releases

Very excited for the release of Sacrificing Sapphire, book four in thriller Sapphire Series, and just in time for Christmas. If you like a fun, humorous, sexy Christmas thriller, this is your book.

Sapphire Dubois is a reluctant heiress living in Beverly Hills and a vigilante. She has secrets in her past she barely understands that prompt her to hunt serial killers in LA. And, unfortunately (or fortunately), she's in love with a cop who is trying to stop the vigilante "serial catcher."

Author Mia Thompson's screenwriting experience is evident in her writing. The chapters of her books end on cliffhangers, just when you think they're going to kiss they don't... Mia's books are fast-paced and fun.

To order Sacrificing Sapphire or one of the other books in Mia's series, click here.

To visit Mia's website, click here.